Down with Love
by bsloths
Summary: Who needs love, anyway? Certainly not Casey McDonald! Multichapter. Dasey, Shemily.
1. Casey Writes a Book

Today is my one-year ffnet anniversary. So I decided this was the perfect time to post my next chapter fic! (It's been forever, I know.)

This is loosely based on the movie _Down with Love_, starring Renee Zellweger and Ewan McGregor. I highly recommend seeing the movie, though it's not a prerequisite for reading this story. So I hope you enjoy my Daseyfied version, and if you have a chance, check out the flick.

This is technically a future fic, but it takes place in the next couple of years. So I guess it's AU in that respect. Just pretend Derek and Casey graduated around 2000 or something.

Another note: I did some research on publishing and television production, but this is not meant to be realistic. The characters' jobs are really just plot devices. You'll see. Also, the movie takes place in the 1960s, so I've tried my best to modernize the story. Please don't take any offense at Casey's book – it's meant to be over-the-top.

Last thing, I promise: This fic is dedicated to the amazing Allie - Thanks for the inspiration!

--Brandi

Disclaimer: I don't own Life with Derek or Down with Love. Scratch that…I do own them both in DVD form. But not their plots, I suppose.

**Chapter 1: Casey Writes a Book**

_With a population of about 8.3 million, New York City is home to some very important people._

_There's Cat, a young writer with a wicked sense of humor,_

_Dennis McDonald, a big-shot lawyer living the high life in Soho,_

_Emily Davis, an accomplished publisher at Banner House,_

_Derek Venturi, producer at Know Studios; he runs one of the highest rated late-night talk shows in the country, hosted by…_

_Sheldon Shlepper, who's been known to do anything for a laugh, _

_Blair Waldorf, Upper East Side debutante and queen bee,_

_and who could forget Carrie Bradshaw, columnist at the New York Star and avid shoe collector. _

_The only people important to our story, however, are Emily, Derek, and Sheldon._

_Oh, wait, there's one more. _

_She's a recent transplant. Originally from London, Ontario, Miss Casey McDonald moved to the city just last week, in the hopes of getting her book published. It helps that she knows Emily Davis quite well; they've been best friends for years. _

_And it is here, in Emily's office at Banner House, that our story begins…_

DwL=LwD

Emily chewed on the tip of her fingernail as her assistant held up two possible book covers. "I don't know, what do you think, Case?"

Casey scanned both options. "The one on the left is a little…colorful," she admitted, and Emily nodded.

"I think you're right. Simple is best. That one," she pointed to the right-hand cover, which featured a simple pink heart, broken in half, underneath the title: Down with Love by Casey McDonald. The assistant scurried off to the printer.

"This is too exciting," Casey practically squealed, as she reclined in her chair in Emily's spacious office.

Emily nodded. "I know. Just think, next week, every girl in America is going to have her nose in your book."

"I don't know about that. But we definitely have to start an aggressive ad campaign."

"Already on it, Case. I called in a favor to Know Studios to do a piece on the book."

Casey sat up abruptly, almost spilling the celebratory champagne she was currently sipping. "Know?" she spluttered. "As in, _Derek_'s production company?"

Emily shrugged. "Yeah. So?"

"You know how I feel about that man."

"Puh-lease, Casey, you haven't spoken to him in almost ten years. You probably won't even have to talk to him directly. I'll handle everything."

"Promise me I won't have to see him." Casey shuddered at the thought of it. "I wish things were different, Em, I really do. But the damage is done."

"It's never too late to reconcile, you know. You _are_ family, after all." Emily stole a sideways glance at her friend. She knew there was no convincing Casey of anything, especially this. But it was always worth a try.

"We are _not_ family, and you know it. Just because we were forced to live together for a few years in high school does not make us related."

"Haven't you been back home for Christmas?"

"Well, yes, but we always make sure we visit on different days. I've managed to avoid laying eyes on him for almost a decade, and I most certainly don't want to start now."

"Suit yourself. I have a meeting with him on Thursday. You can just stay home."

"Yes, I believe I will." She tossed her hair. "He doesn't deserve another second's thought. Let's talk about something else."

"Like, how amazing your book is?" Emily smiled slyly at her friend. She was so excited to be the one to give Casey her start. The girl was sure to start a revolution.

Casey, ever tactful, shrugged her shoulders. "I wouldn't call it 'amazing,' but it will certainly ruffle some feathers."

"That's the _point_, Casey," Emily reminded her. "Any book that tells women they should be conducting themselves like men is bound to make an impact, and quickly."

Casey shrugged. "I'm just lucky Mr. Banner agreed to publish it. How'd you pitch it to him, anyway?"

"I have my ways," Emily said suggestively, wiggling her eyebrows.

"Please tell me you didn't sleep with him," Casey groaned, only half-kidding. She'd only met Emily's boss once, but he had been quite the charmer.

Emily feigned indignation. "God, no, what do you take me for?"

Casey grinned. "I'm going to choose not to answer that."

"Good, then I'm going to choose not to tell you that I might have bribed him with black market cigars."

"Uh-huh. I didn't hear that," Casey giggled, and then quickly turned serious. "It's so great that we're hanging out again, Em. I missed seeing you every day."

"Tell me about it. I'm so psyched that you moved to New York. I missed you, too!" She held up her champagne glass and clinked it against Casey's. "To our friendship! And your inevitable fame!" she toasted.

"To fame and friends," Casey echoed with a grin. She could definitely deal with that.

DwL=LwD

"They want to write the what?" Casey said, not sure she'd heard Emily correctly. They were back in her office the next morning, still busy with preparing the book for publication. Normally an author wouldn't be quite so involved in the process, but Casey was lucky enough to have a friend on the inside.

"The _blurb_ on the back cover. You know, to tell readers what the book is about. Come on, Casey, get with the program. You read more books than anyone I know. Even me, and it's my job."

Casey got a panicked look in her eye. "But I can barely sum it up aloud. How am I going to write one paragraph on such an intricate thesis?"

Emily bit her bottom lip. "We'll figure it out." She hated to admit it, but Casey's masterpiece wasn't really something you could sum up in a blurb. And whatever they wrote on the back cover, it was going to alienate practically half the population.

After several hours spent hunched over Emily's desk, they finally had something ready to send to the printer.

_Why is it socially acceptable for men to sleep with as many people as possible, and when girls do it, they're labeled whores? Why are movies that contain full-frontal male nudity given an R rating, and movies with full-frontal female nudity given merely a PG-13? Why are men allowed to flaunt their sexuality by going shirtless in public, while women are forced to keep themselves covered, or risk being seen as slutty? Why are single men given upbeat labels such as 'swinger' or 'bachelor,' while single women are reduced to 'spinsters'? _

_The answer is simple: the modern woman, though she has gained great strides toward equality, is just not considered completely equal in society. That's where this book comes in. _

_Sociology expert Casey McDonald is about to take you on a whirlwind journey…you'll discover how you, the modern woman, can achieve that equality. Why shouldn't you sleep around (responsibly, of course) without fear of being stigmatized? And being a bachelorette is perfectly normal. With the divorce rate exponentially increasing, who needs monogamy? Marriage is an antiquated institution, anyway. Let's abolish all gender roles. We've known for a long time that women and men can do the same jobs. Women should be able to express their sexuality in the same way, as well. For example, women should be able to objectify men just as freely as men objectify women._

_If you want to learn how you, too, can become a completely fulfilled modern woman who doesn't need a man to complete her, this is the book for you._

Emily wiped her brow and sat back in her recliner. "That's it, Case. We're ready. I've sent out some copies so you'll be reviewed in all the major women's magazines: Ladies' Home Journal, Good Housekeeping, Cosmopolitan, Elle…"

"Wow, that's great." Casey beamed at her friend.

"Oh, it gets better. There are going to be print ads papering the city first thing tomorrow. And there's Derek's piece, of course, which will air the day the book comes out."

Casey made a face at that, but said nothing. She wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth. "I just hope I don't get any death threats. It doesn't paint men in the best light…" She paled at the thought.

Emily grinned. "Relax. You know that guys are going to hate the book. But women are going to start a revolution when they get a hold of it!"

"I really hope you're right," Casey agreed, and Emily leaned over to give her a hug.

"I hope I am, too."


	2. Derek Gets a Phone Call

Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Life with Derek or Down with Love.

**Chapter 2: Derek Gets a Phone Call**

"You'll never guess who called me earlier today," Derek said, the moment he came into the studio.

Sheldon, mouth full of coffee, quickly swallowed. "Hillary Clinton?"

Derek rolled his eyes. "Dude, you host Midnight Chatter, not The Daily Show. Get off the politics kick; you know we don't touch that stuff with a ten-foot pole."

It was Sheldon's turn to roll his own eyes. "_Du-ude_," he mocked, "Are you going to tell me who called or not?"

Derek smirked. "One Miss Emily Davis."

Sheldon's eyes went wide. "_My _Emily?"

"Shel, she hasn't been _your_ Emily in ten years." Sheldon blushed, but Derek ignored it. "Anyway, how many Emily Davises do we both know? She wants to meet with me."

"With…with you?" Sheldon looked a little stunned, and made a gulping sound.

Derek cocked his eyebrow in disgust. "Pull yourself together. This is strictly business. You heard how she's this big-shot publisher, right?"

"Yes…"

"Well, apparently she's publishing some controversial new book that's going to 'change the world' or something—" he smirked doubtfully, "—and wants Know Studios to do a piece on it."

"Wow." Sheldon put down his coffee mug and shifted in his seat. "Do you think I could help out?"

Derek slapped his own forehead in mock aggravation. "You really have a one-track mind, you know that?"

"I'm sorry. I just would love to see her again, that's all."

Derek decided it was time to stop jerking him around. The poor guy was on the verge of hyperventilating. "Okay, okay. We're going to air the piece on Midnight Chatter, so of course you get to help. Happy?"

Sheldon jumped up, and Derek was afraid he was going to get a hug. Instead, Sheldon began pacing back and forth in front of his desk.

"I can't believe this," he said, still pacing.

"Well, believe it. Now, could you possibly start thinking about something more important, like, I don't know, your _job_?" Derek said pointedly.

Sheldon snapped to attention. It had always been a running joke between them that Derek could fire Sheldon at any moment. Not that he ever would. The two had struck up an unlikely friendship when they had both decided to move to New York. And when Sheldon had pitched his talk show idea to Know Studios, Derek decided they could become lucrative partners. So here they were, two years later, and still going strong.

"Right. Um, so this is what I have for next week so far…" Sheldon began.

DwL=LwD

"Derek, I have two hours before I have to be back at the airport, and you're telling me you have to _work_?"

"I'm sorry, Kendra, but I can't skip out on this lunch. It's important." But even he knew his resolve was waning. Emily could reschedule, couldn't she?

"Can't she reschedule?" Kendra was practically barking at him, but he couldn't blame her. He had promised her that anytime she was in New York, he'd make himself available. They had both been pretty vulnerable back then; Kendra had just broken off her engagement with Patrick, and Derek had just moved to New York and didn't know anyone besides Sheldon. So they'd had a friends-with-benefits thing going on for the past few years, and so far, it worked for them. Kendra didn't have time for a relationship, because as a flight attendant she was always flitting off to some exotic locale, and Derek didn't care to settle down.

The _one_ time he had a legitimate excuse not to meet her, and she was making him feel guilty. The worst part was that it was working. He weighed his options. Meet with Emily about some book, or spend two hours in bed with a sexy flight attendant.

It didn't take much thought.

"Okay, Ken, I'll reschedule. My place in fifteen?"

Kendra had on her happy voice again. "Sure thing, Derry. See you in _ten_." She hung up, and Derek cringed. She never had stopped calling him Derry. It was one of the many things that still irritated him about her. But oh well. It was a small price to pay.

DwL=LwD

Sheldon stood at his bathroom mirror, staring intently at himself.

"Hi, Emily, it's so good to see you again."

"Em, wow, it's been a long time."

"I know the last time we talked, we weren't really getting along…"

"I'm an idiot. Forgive me? Marry me?"

Sheldon chuckled. No matter what he said, it was going to be awkward. Derek was meeting with her today to get the business stuff out of the way, and then he could step in and help with the creative part. He was excited to see what she looked like now. If she was married. If she would consider giving him a second chance. And oh, yeah, if the book she was promoting was any good.

They had been so close for so long. He knew it was mainly his fault that they had drifted apart. They hadn't talked in nearly ten years, and the last time they had, they had broken up. He could've tried to stay in touch, but it was too painful. And the next thing he knew, a year had gone by, and that was that. More years went by, and now he was hearing about her phone call to Derek. Crazy.

"Hi, Emily. It's great to see you again. What do you say we forget the past and start over?"

Sheldon nodded into the mirror. That would have to do.

DwL=LwD

"Hi, this is Derek Venturi from Know Studios."

Emily's secretary put him through.

"Hey, Derek! I can't wait to see you again!" Emily sounded so excited that Derek almost felt guilty.

"Well, Em, that's why I'm calling. Something came up, and I can't make our lunch."

Emily's heart skipped a beat. _Oh, no. He heard that it's _Casey's _book, and now he wants nothing to do with us._ "Oh, um, okay. How about tomorrow instead?" She squeezed her eyes shut, wishing. Luckily, Derek obliged.

"Sounds good. I'll see you at the same time tomorrow."

Emily breathed a sigh of relief. "Good, see you then." She hung up the phone, and then quickly dialed Casey to tell her of the change in plans.

Derek hung up as well, and two seconds later, there was a knock at the door, along with a shrill voice calling, "Derry!"

Derek's face twitched, but he reminded himself that in a few minutes, she wouldn't be talking much.


	3. Casey Does Interviews

Disclaimer: I don't own anything I mention in this chapter. Especially the person I include. I most definitely do not own him or his radio persona.

**Chapter 3: Casey Does Interviews**

Casey was exhausted. She had never talked so much for so long. Emily, however, was practically bouncing up and down.

"Look how much publicity you're getting already! You're gonna be in Elle, Cosmo, Entertainment Weekly, People, everything! And the book's not even out for a few days!"

Casey eyed her friend warily. "Don't you think it's a little much? There is such a thing as overexposure."

"Don't worry. This book is gonna be so big, people will be clamoring for information on you. I'm so excited!" She twirled around Casey's living room, acting like a giddy little girl. Casey couldn't help but smile. Emily had only shown one sign of weakness all day: she had been pretty upset when Derek blew her off _for the second time_. But she got over it in minutes. After all, it wasn't personal, it was business. Casey hoped she could develop such tough skin one day.

"I have no idea how you have so much energy right now. And if I have to talk about myself for one more minute, I'll puke."

"Casey, self-reliant, self-sufficient, self-loving bachelorettes like you do not say the word 'puke,'" Emily teased. Casey stuck her tongue out at her. Though Emily had a point. Casey really had to start living up to her own standards. As she had written in Chapter 2, "There must be a rise of the bachelorette as a positive force. Assert your sexuality, but be ladylike while doing it."

Emily's cell phone rang, and her eyes widened when she saw who was calling. "It's Ryan Seacrest!" she stage-whispered as she handed Casey the phone.

"Good evening, this is Casey McDonald," Casey said professionally.

"Casey? It's Ryan Seacrest. I read the book your publisher sent over, and I have to say, I'm speechless."

"Oh, I…" Casey's cheeks burned. Why had Emily sent the book to him? He was a _guy_.

"I mean, in a good way. I loved it!"

"You…you did?" She motioned for Emily to come closer so she could listen in on the call. "He loved it!" she mouthed, and Emily suppressed a squeal.

"I did. I think it's great that you're trying to empower women. In fact, I'd like to interview you for my radio show tomorrow morning."

Casey's mind went completely blank. Her mouth went dry. Her eyes glazed over. Emily looked at her with concern.

"Live?" Casey gulped.

Ryan answered in the affirmative.

Emily shoved her, and she snapped back to reality.

"Thank you. That sounds great."

They worked out the specifics, and then said goodbye. Casey started to feel that dry-mouth feeling again. "I can't talk about this book live! I'm a terrible public speaker! Ask me to sing or dance, and I'm golden, but a live interview? I just know I'm going to say the wrong thing!"

Emily could sense the beginnings of a Casey panic attack. "I'll get the paper bag."

DwL=LwD

Casey was sitting in Ryan's studio, a bundle of nerves. She knew Ryan was trying his best to put her at ease, but she couldn't shake the feeling that she was going to ruin her blossoming career with just one wrong word. Emily was pacing in the waiting room, not quite as anxious as Casey, but just slightly worried about her job security as well.

"So, Casey, you're from Canada, is that correct?"

"Yes, sir, I'm from Ontario." She heard her own voice coming out clear and strong, and relaxed a bit. She could do this. It was just talking. Ryan was just a guy. Just a guy who had a lot of clout in the entertainment community. If he told women to buy her book, they'd buy it.

"Wonderful, wonderful. Now, I've read this book of yours, and I think it's going to do for the publishing world what Sex and the City did for television. It's going to start a revolution!"

"Thank you, Ryan. I certainly hope that it resonates with a lot of women out there."

"Is there anything you'd like readers to know before they pick up a copy of your book?"

"I guess I would just like to tell women to remember that they can do anything they put their minds to. Also, um, that I'm not saying being in a relationship is bad, if it's a completely equal partnership. I just want to give hope to the single women out there that you can be happy if you make up your mind to be."

"And are you single right now?"

"Yes. I believe that each woman who reads my book needs to make a conscious effort to say that she doesn't need a man to complete her. All the romantic comedies we've ever seen are just fairy tales. I am a completely satisfied person."

"And according to your book, one of the ways to achieve this satisfaction is to sleep with as many men as possible?"

"Well," Casey blushed, because this was the part of her book she really hadn't tried herself, and didn't really care to, "I feel that women should have that option without fear of judgment. As long as you go about it in a safe way, sure, sleep around. We all deserve a little fun in our lives." She couldn't believe she was sanctioning this, but hey, desperate times call for desperate measures.

"I was particularly struck by Chapter 8, in which you describe the worst kind of guy. You call him the 'ladies' man, man's man, man about town,' is that correct?"

"Ah, yes, Chapter 8. This man I'm talking about is the consummate chauvinist. He treats girls like his playthings. I knew a guy once that played so many games, you would have thought he was Milton Bradley."

"What else did this guy do?"

"Well, he was dating a girl once, and I met a new friend. Not only did he hit on my friend while he was still with his girlfriend, he also asked the new girl out. I had to step in and threaten to tell his girlfriend. Another time, he was seeing someone, and he wanted to make her jealous, so he set up a date with his ex. Then he proceeded to show up with his ex to the place where his girlfriend worked. It was a disaster. And the girl actually stayed with him!"

"You must have known him pretty well."

"Yes. He was an important part of my life, until he crushed my spirit and put me off monogamy for life." Casey paused for a moment, not quite trusting herself to continue. She was being awfully harsh. "Um, I figured, if I couldn't expect commitment from him, why should I expect it from anyone? It's much better to be alone."

"Very interesting. Unfortunately that's all the time we have for today. Thank you so much for talking with us, Casey. And remember, everyone, pick up a copy of her book, Down with Love!"

"Thank you, Ryan."

Ryan gave her a thumb's up. Her microphone went off and he introduced his next segment. Casey tiptoed out of the room, meeting Emily in the lobby.

"You did so, so well," Emily said, relieved, as she gave her friend a hug. "I'm really proud of you."

"Thanks, Em." Casey wiped at her moist eyes, not even aware that she had begun to tear up. That was the first interview to bring up Chapter 8, and she hadn't realized that it would be so emotional for her.

Shaking off the bad feelings, she and Emily finished up at the studio and headed back to Banner House.


	4. Derek Learns the Truth

Disclaimer: Not mine.

**Chapter 4: Derek Learns the Truth**

_The day Ryan Seacrest called Casey, Derek called to cancel on Emily _again_. But Kendra was flying to Tahiti. Or was it Maui? Bottom line is, he canceled for a very different reason than he had the day before. Little did he know that that morning, his life was about to get turned upside down…_

"I'm sorry, Emily, but I can't make today's lunch. I have some things to take care of."

"Oh."

He could tell by her flat tone that she was _not_ happy. He couldn't blame her; after all, he was calling to cancel twice in two days.

"Rain check?" He was trying to be diplomatic. The truth was that he wasn't sure he'd ever meet with her.

"When?"

Derek rubbed his chin. She was definitely persistent. So he told her the truth. "I don't know. I'll call you." With that, he hung up, almost regretting the cancelation. He had a feeling this book was going to be huge, and it would be a boon for Midnight Chatter. But he couldn't bring himself to get involved with this particular project. Oh, no. It was too dangerous.

He had been walking out of his apartment towards his favorite breakfast place, minding his own business, when a bus came around the corner. The sign on its side caught his eye; it depicted a pink heart, broken in half, with the title Down with Love above it. Recognizing that as the book Emily was peddling, he kept looking. As the bus drove by, he caught the last words on the sign. They began to fill his vision, growing larger and larger until all he could see were three horrible words:

BY

CASEY

MCDONALD.

DwL=LwD

Sheldon was getting impatient. He was supposed to be meeting Derek for dinner before work, but there was no sign of him.

He knew he was letting the Emily stuff get to him. He should have been able to play it cool. He'd ask Derek how the meeting went, and then casually slip in a request to meet with Emily himself tomorrow. He had been digging through his old yearbooks and photo albums, just to look at her again.

"Sorry I'm late," Derek said as his cab pulled up to the restaurant.

Sheldon hid a smile. The old Derek never would have apologized for being late. Whatever time he got there would have been the right time. Sheldon liked to think his own mannershad been a good influence on the infamous Venturi.

"So, how'd it go?" Sheldon bit his lip in anticipation. They weren't even seated yet, but he _had_ to know.

"How did what go?" Derek smirked.

"Come on, D, this isn't funny. You know I've been thinking about her—um, the project, all day."

"You're pathetic."

"At least I'm not afraid to show my emotions. Girls like that, right?"

Derek wanted to laugh, but then thought better of it. He knew Sheldon well enough to know that he wouldn't tell anyone if Derek said something 'sensitive.'

"Look, Shel, any girl would be lucky to have you. Emily doesn't know what she lost, okay?"

Sheldon beamed at him. "Wow, Derek, thanks, I—" Derek gave him a death glare, and Sheldon stopped abruptly. "Shutting up." He followed Derek and the host to their table, still smiling.

"Are you going to tell me what happened today, or not?" Sheldon asked, when Derek hadn't spoken for several minutes.

Derek sighed. "I didn't meet with her."

Sheldon could feel a headache coming on. This was not the time for Derek to throw away a project. "What do you mean, you didn't meet with her!? You blew her off two days in a row?"

"I couldn't help it." He thought quickly. "There was this hot girl moving into my building, and she needed help carrying some boxes."

Sheldon banged his head against the table. "Derrrrrek," he groaned. "You can't keep doing this. Last month we were going to film at the zoo, and you didn't show up because of some girl you met at a bar, remember? And how about all the times, including yesterday, that you decided Kendra was more important than any other prior commitments?"

Derek shrugged unapologetically. "I'm not a 'commitments' kind of guy. Besides, I worked my butt off for years to get Know off the ground. Now that we're successful, I can afford to slack off once in a while."

Sheldon knew that it was futile to argue any more. And Derek had a point. He worked hard on Midnight Chatter, and Know _was_ his company. He had earned the right to set his own schedule.

Sheldon joked, "I know that now that Know has no problem producing, uh, knowledgeable work, I need Know to just keep up what it's doing…now."

Derek groaned and threw his napkin at him.

DwL=LwD

At the studio, one hour to show time, it occurred to Sheldon that Derek hadn't told him when he'd rescheduled with Emily.

Derek shifted uncomfortably when he saw Sheldon approach him, determined glint in his eyes. The boy could just not let Emily go.

"Derek, you never told me when you'll be meeting with Emily."

"I won't be."

"You won't be?"

"That's what I said. I decided not to do the Down with Love piece after all."

Sheldon knew he had to keep his cool this close to going live, so he said carefully, "Don't you think that such a controversial book deserves a spot on our show?"

"The book might, but the writer certainly doesn't. Do you remember who Emily's best friend was in high school?"

It seemed to click for Sheldon, but just to be sure, he asked. "Not…Casey?"

"The one and only," Derek said with disdain.

"Wow." Sheldon took a minute to process this. "I know you guys haven't talked in, what, ten years, but couldn't you just…" He wasn't sure how to finish that thought.

"No, I couldn't _just_," Derek replied. "I don't want her in my life, period."

"Okay. I guess I have to respect that." Sheldon hung his head. What a terrible shame. They were (almost) family, after all. If only they could forget the past…

Derek sighed. "I could give you Emily's number, if you want. _You_ can still talk to her."

Sheldon was extremely tempted, but he declined. He couldn't very well just call her up out of the blue. The book had been the perfect excuse, and without that, he had nothing. _Maybe next year_, he thought sadly.


	5. Casey Struts Her Stuff

Disclaimer: I disclaim ownership of everything.

**Chapter 5: Casey Struts Her Stuff**

Casey slept over the night before the book launched. So it shouldn't have surprised Emily that she was awakened by the screeches of a published author.

"Em! Em! Em! Em! Em!" Casey thundered into Emily's bedroom and pounced on her friend. "Look!" She thrust copies of The New York Times, The Daily News, The Post, and even The Wall Street Journal into her hands. "Positive reviews in every single paper!" she crowed, and Emily broke into a grin.

"Yesss! I can't believe this day is finally here!" Emily quickly rifled through the papers and skimmed the reviews. "Down with Love is a masterpiece," she read. "It ushers in a new era of feminism." She opened another paper. "This book will change the world. Ladies, if you're tired of being treated like a second-class citizen in your relationships, this is the book for you!"

She read a few more glowing reviews aloud. "This is amazing, Case. Congratulations!"

"I couldn't have done it without you, Em. You're the best!"

They gushed for a few more minutes, and then realized that they'd better get going. Casey had a book signing to attend that day, and they had something special planned.

DwL=LwD

A wolf whistle echoed around the room as two stunning women entered the bookstore.

Casey, clad in her Babe Raider costume recycled from several previous Halloweens, strutted towards the table set up with copies of her book. Emily had recognized the outfit right away, and they had both decided that it could be made a little sexier. So they shortened the bottom of the shirt so it exposed maximum skin. Then they turned the pants into shorts to show off some leg. They had giggled their way through sewing it, remembering the time Casey had worn it to school and felt 'empowered.' She never in a million years thought she would be selling a book about female empowerment. Okay, well, she had maybe thought about it. But now that it was a reality? Mind-blowing.

Emily followed Casey to the table, wearing Daisy Dukes and a bikini top under a cropped vest. She knew it was a bit unprofessional, but today was all about getting noticed. She had definitely turned a few heads walking down the street. She had gotten a little wistful; very few guys had looked at her that way since…Sheldon. But she didn't let herself think about him very often. It was pointless to bring up unpleasant memories.

Once the book signing got under way, more and more people started lining up from off the street. It wasn't until an hour into it that Emily saw the bookstore's sign promoting the book: "Come meet the author of Down with Love: the book that demands liberation from the restrictions of society!" They were making it sound like Casey was advocating anarchy or something. Emily turned back to the crowd at hand. Oh, well. Whatever got the book into as many hands as possible!

The crowd consisted mostly of women, which had been the prediction, but a surprising number of men showed up, some just to see what Casey looked like. They must have liked what they saw, because they stuck around.

Emily was so proud of Casey. She was being a total professional, laughing and joking, making each person's turn special. She had been to dozens of these things, and she knew that the authors always got tired, but if Casey was losing steam, she was doing a heck of a job not showing it.

A few girls took pictures with her, and Emily could barely contain her giggle when Casey whispered in her ear, "All this up-and-down is giving me a wedgie! Stupid tight shorts!"

A news crew showed up about three hours in, when Casey was supposed to be wrapping it up. But the line was still going out the door, and she wasn't about to quit.

They interviewed Emily quickly, filmed Casey with some fans, and then left. Emily was happy for the coverage, but she was a little wary of how the media was going to spin it. The whole point was that woman shouldn't be penalized for wearing revealing clothing; weren't they being objectified just by being filmed like this? Or should she embrace it?

Emily was starting to get a headache. Not for the first time, she thought that maybe this book was a little too hot to handle.

DwL=LwD

_Across town, a certain talk show host turned on a certain television set in a certain dressing room. He flipped through every news channel, and was always met with the same image: a certain girl and a certain girl's best friend wearing certain outfits at a certain bookstore to promote a certain book. _

_Is it safe to say that this talk show host had a bit of a freak-out? _

_Certainly. _


	6. Derek is Too Late

Many apologies to Shellie for the meet-cute in this chapter – it's almost identical to Page's. But this was written in like, August, I swear. Sorry, Shel! (Everyone go read her amazing and addictive story called Moments In Our Lives!)

Disclaimer: Totally not mine.

**Chapter 6: Derek is Too Late**

Sheldon somehow made it to Derek's office. He was still a little dazed, but one thought remained clear: berate Derek for blowing it with Emily. This would have been the story of the year, but _someone_ had been a little too scared to face his past. And it certainly wasn't Sheldon. (Okay, maybe it was Sheldon a little bit.)

Not to mention the fact that Sheldon _had_ to see Emily again. He hadn't seen her, let alone that _much_ of her, in so long. It brought all of his feelings rushing back to the surface. Just because Derek was being stupid, why should he have to suffer?

"Turn on your computer," he commanded, stepping into Derek's office.

Derek looked up from his newspaper. He folded it quickly so that Sheldon couldn't see which section he had been reading. Though Sheldon was so worked up, he probably wouldn't have even noticed that Derek was reading a Down with Love review.

"Why?"

"Just do it!"

"It's on, it's on." He turned the screen around to face his friend, and Sheldon quickly punched in some search terms on the keyboard.

"There. Look!" He turned the screen back to Derek and showed him the homemade video someone had shot of Casey and Emily. And then he clicked on the news footage he had just seen, as well as some still photos uploaded by fans. "This happened earlier today, Derek. We lost that piece on the book—do you realize how popular that would have been? You blew it, buddy." Sheldon winced as he said it, knowing he was just asking for trouble. But Derek remained calm.

"You're right. I was an idiot," he replied evenly. "I let my personal life get in the way of business. I'm going to call Emily and keep that appointment this time. Better late than never, right?" Derek stood up, patted Sheldon on the shoulder, and then headed out of the office.

"I…you…wha?" Sheldon spluttered. It was not every day that Derek Venturi admitted he was wrong.

"Come on, Schlepper." Derek smirked his trademark smirk and pulled Sheldon out of the office.

DwL=LwD

Derek could not concentrate on the show that night. They had some great guests, and under normal circumstances he'd be chatting them up. But tonight he needed to be by himself.

He wasn't sure why his primary emotion was anger. He had no reason to be angry at Casey anymore. But it just wasn't _right. _She was going around spewing all this nonsense and people were actually eating it up. He almost owed it to the public to show them what a keener loser his stepsister was. She had no business trying to run other people's lives; she had enough trouble running her own, at least when Derek knew her.

Poor Sheldon had been dying to see Emily, and Derek had been too stubborn to let him have that chance. He knew what he had to do. First thing in the morning, he was going to have to call Emily and set up that interview.

DwL=LwD

Sheldon woke up early the next morning. He was still shaken from the night before—he had been up half the night thinking. In fact, he had made an important decision. He was just going to call Emily. Tell her he'd seen her on the news, and would she like to catch up over dinner? That sounded good to him. And then if Derek actually did keep his word and call Emily, it would be that much better for Sheldon.

A new coffee place had just opened around the corner from his building. He decided to check it out, and wasn't surprised to find it pretty crowded.

But it wasn't the coffee that was attracting all the attention. Sheldon slipped inside and saw none other than Casey McDonald at the front of the line, ordering a drink. The mass of people in the shop were busy whispering, taking pictures on their cell phones, and a few were even shouting out at her that they loved the book.

Sheldon couldn't believe his good luck. He could talk to Casey about Emily! He hung back towards the exit, and when Casey started coming towards him, he ducked out the door.

"Case!" he called, as she exited the shop. The use of her nickname caused her to turn around quickly, bump into the people on the outskirts of the crowd, trip over her own feet, and send her drink flying into Sheldon's shirt.

He gritted his teeth as the hot coffee seeped through the material and onto his skin. "Are you okay, Case?" he asked, helping her up.

"Oh, my gosh, Sheldon?!" Casey gave him a hug, getting her own shirt wet. "It's so good to see you! Oh, I'm sorry, I—" She began wiping at his shirt with her napkin. Sheldon was aware of lots of cameras clicking around him, and his face turned red.

"Hey, that's Sheldon Schlepper! How do you know Casey McDonald?" a voice in the crowd asked, and then as more and more people recognized him, the crowd became louder and more persistent. Sheldon was not typically in the gossip rags; he never did anything nearly exciting enough to be of interest. But he knew that the combination of Sheldon, Casey, and just the right shot of their hug could be very intriguing to the press.

"Let's go somewhere and talk," Sheldon whispered to Casey, and she stopped rubbing at the coffee stain long enough to nod.

"I'll hail a cab while you wave to everyone," she whispered back. She darted to the curb and held out her arm just as Sheldon turned to the crowd with a wave.

"Have a nice day, everyone!" he called, and Casey pulled him into the waiting cab.

Once the door was closed and they were zooming off down the street, Casey heaved a sigh and laid her head against the seat. "I hate this. Apparently I can't go anywhere now without being mobbed." She smiled ruefully. "I guess you're used to it, huh?"

Sheldon shook his head. "No, I've never gotten used to it. For the most part people leave me alone, but it is frustrating sometimes when all you're trying to do is get a cup of coffee and there are people staring at you. And today we didn't even have to deal with paparazzi. Those people were just regular folks with camera phones!"

Casey smirked at him, and it jarred Sheldon – that was Derek's smirk. "_Folks_?" she teased. "You haven't changed a bit."

Sheldon laughed. "Guess not."

"I gave the driver my address; I hope that's okay. I can make us some coffee."

"What, a big shot author like you doesn't have a personal barista to make us coffee?"

"I could pay the little girl next door to do it, would that be just as good?"

They chatted and joked all the way up to Casey's apartment, and it surprised them both how easily the conversation came. They weren't exactly friends in high school, but they had certainly gotten along for Emily's sake. Sheldon knew that a lot of time had passed, and they had both changed a lot, despite what Casey had said.

He felt awkward bringing Emily up just yet. He figured that for all Casey knew, Sheldon didn't even realize she was in the city.

DwL=LwD

Derek stared at the phone for a full minute before he worked up the courage to call. He couldn't believe it had come to this. To any normal person, a stepbrother calling a stepsister wouldn't seem like a big deal. But Derek and Casey had never had what you would call a _normal _relationship.

He had been lucky enough to get her number through Emily's assistant. Derek loved when he could use his semi-celebrity status to pull some strings he otherwise couldn't. He figured the assistant would tell Emily he had called, but he had decided not to meet with Emily after all. Right now, it was important to go straight to the source. (He had decided this after a _very_ restless night, and was still not sure if it was the right choice.)

The phone rang. And rang. And rang. Derek ran his hand through his hair. More ringing. "What am I doing?" he wondered aloud. He let it ring some more. Didn't this girl have an answering machine? Finally, he gave up. "Guess I wasn't meant to see her again," he mused.

"Since when did I start believing in fate?" he asked the empty room.

This whole talking-to-himself thing had to stop.

DwL=LwD

Across the city, Sheldon and Casey were heading out the door of her apartment when her phone rang.

"Just a sec," Casey held the door for him and darted back into the room to check the Caller ID. "I don't recognize the number. If it's important they'll call back," she said, shrugging. Sheldon smiled, and they left the apartment, phone still ringing persistently.


	7. Casey Adjusts to Celebrity

Disclaimer: I don't own it.

**Chapter 7: Casey Adjusts to Celebrity**

Her face was everywhere. Yesterday morning's footage of her run-in with Sheldon was all over YouTube (with some suggestive comments that made her wince), and the interviews she had done pre-launch were beginning to surface. Her book's ads still covered the city, and whenever she so much as walked out of her apartment building, she was mobbed.

It was taking a lot of getting used to, and Casey felt lucky that Emily was right there beside her, though Emily was much more excited about the celebrity part. Casey couldn't quite muster up the same level of enthusiasm as her friend. Maybe that was because it wasn't Emily who had to constantly pose for pictures and sign autographs. Casey couldn't believe she'd ever dreamed of being an actress. Being an overnight sensation as an _author_ was scary enough.

The book had caught on like wildfire. A group of middle aged women had come up to Casey and Emily on the subway, sporting outfits that were about twenty years too young for them, and gushing about how great it was to find a book that gave them hope. Casey had teared up a bit, but the emotion quickly turned to aggravation when she saw them get off the train and immediately begin flirting with some men nearby.

"At least they're not whistling at them," Emily observed, just as one of the women let one echo throughout the station. Emily cringed.

Casey put her head in her hands. "All this 'women can act like men' stuff is a mess. What was I thinking?"

Emily patted her on the back. "You were thinking that it's about time for some actual equality. I think it's kind of cool." She pulled down the belly-bearing top that kept riding up as she moved. "Though I can think of some downsides."

"You don't have to wear that stuff, Em. I'm the one who needs to practice what she preaches."

Emily gave Casey's respectable blouse and short skirt a once-over. "I'd say you're doing fine. I mean, you're showing an awful lot of leg, right? That counts."

Casey sighed. "True. But I have a lunch date, and I didn't want to scare the guy away."

Emily stopped short, causing the throng of people surging through the station behind them to cry out in annoyance. "Casey, that's Chapter 4! 'A confident woman should not intimidate any man. And if she does, the man isn't worth dating.' Remember?"

"Augh!" Casey cried in frustration. "Don't quote my book at me! This guy's just a friend, really. We met yesterday, and I want to take things slowly."

Emily looked uncertain. "O-kay, but just go somewhere where there won't be a lot of cameras or fans. You shouldn't have to inflict your celebrity on the poor guy. What's his name, anyway?"

Casey paused, and she knew Emily noticed. But she pressed on. "Shawn," she said convincingly. Emily seemed to buy it.

"Just be careful," Emily warned, and Casey nodded.

Casey wasn't sure why she couldn't tell Emily about Sheldon. She had never brought up the fact that Emily was her editor to Sheldon, and she assumed they each didn't know that the other was in the city. She figured she wouldn't bring up painful past history unnecessarily. Emily had been crushed when her relationship with Sheldon had ended, and Casey felt funny about spending time with him. But they had had a good time yesterday, and when he'd asked her to lunch today, she had said yes automatically. He had changed a lot. Sure, he was still a bit of a dork, but having his own talk show had made him more suave, more articulate. She didn't exactly have feelings for him, but she figured she'd see where their acquaintance-ship went. If it went well, maybe they could be friends.


	8. Derek Does the Right Thing

Disclaimer: I don't own it.

**Chapter 8: Derek Does the Right Thing **

Derek couldn't believe his luck. Sheldon told him the news as soon as he came into work that night. They even laughed over some of the YouTube videos together. The idea that Sheldon and Casey could ever actually be a couple was hilarious to Derek, and Sheldon laughed right along with him.

_Sheldon_ had run into Casey. _Sheldon _could have her come on the talk show without ever involving Derek. The show's ratings would soar, and Derek would never have to lift a finger.

Of course, he should have taken Sheldon and Casey's upcoming "lunch date" as a sign that maybe he and Casey were meant to see each other again, if he would only take some action.

But let's face it, Derek thought to himself. I haven't changed _that_ much.

He couldn't quite admit that he was being a coward about the whole damn thing.

Speaking of cowardice, his assistant could take over his job the night that Casey came on Midnight Chatter. They wouldn't even have to be in the same room.

DwL=LwD

"Derek, I'm not going to ask her to be on the show for you." Sheldon shifted the phone to the other ear as he stood in the tiny restroom. He was at lunch with Casey, and when he saw Derek calling—when the guy knew full well where Sheldon was—it was best to answer.

"I'm telling you, it's because we're just starting to reconnect. I don't want to start asking her for favors."

He sighed at Derek's protest that it wasn't a favor; Know would pay her. "Well I don't care. You can call her agent or Emily if you want her on the show." Derek said something else. "Yes, I meant if _Know _wants her. Oi vay! Goodbye, Derek."

Sheldon hung up. Derek was such a baby sometimes. What had happened to calling Emily and setting up a meeting? It was times like these that Sheldon regretted becoming Derek's friend. It really made a person tired sometimes.

DwL=LwD

Derek knew Sheldon was right. He shouldn't let his personal life get in the way of business. That was just completely unprofessional. But these past few days, that stupid book and its stupid author were all Derek could think about.

He swallowed his pride and called Emily's assistant again. He set up Casey's interview through her. It seemed Emily had taken charge of the publicity - Derek couldn't even have the cushion of talking to a publicist. Figured.

Derek prepared himself all day for an irate call from Emily. He knew she would be pretty angry that he had blown her off, and then decided to book Casey behind her back. But he couldn't help it—Midnight Chatter needed someone as controversial as Casey on the show, and despite Derek's frequent changes of mind, he had to admit that Casey's interview would be great for business.

DwL=LwD

"I'm sorry, did I miss something?"

Derek sighed. "Hi, Em."

"Don't you 'Em' me. Did I miss the whole thing?"

"What whole thing?" He could tell by her tone that he was in for some abuse.

"Oh, just the part where we had lunch and talked about the book, and then you decided to do a piece for Midnight Chatter. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm thinking none of that happened. What I see is a note from my secretary, saying Casey is booked on your show for tomorrow night?!"

"I know I kinda went behind your back, Emily. But after careful consideration—" he ignored Emily's snort, "—I have decided that our show would really benefit from Miss McDonald's presence."

"You're an ass." Emily hung up on him.

Derek dropped the phone into his lap and ran his hands through his hair. "Yeah, kinda," he acknowledged, allowing himself to feel just the tiniest bit guilty.

He reached for the phone again.

"Hey Shel? I got Casey for tomorrow night. Remember, your producer booked her—you know _nothing_."

Derek could almost hear Sheldon smile. "What else is new?"


	9. Casey Goes on Midnight Chatter

Disclaimer: Not mine.

**Chapter 9: Casey Goes on Midnight Chatter**

_Maybe if Casey had known how conflicted Derek was. If she had known how he drove his assistant crazy asking for details about the night, all the while thinking that maybe he should come into work after all. If she had known that he had picked up the phone to call her, _again_, and then chickened out, _again_. If she had known how hard he was trying to _not_ think about her. If she had known, _maybe_ she wouldn't have said it…_

"You're gonna be great, Case," Emily beamed, as she dropped her off in front of Midnight Chatter's building.

"Thanks. I'm really not all that nervous. When Sheldon called to prep me he said Derek probably wouldn't even show up tonight, so it's not like I have to worry about seeing him. Typical, huh?"

"Yeah, Derek's not my favorite person right now, but…I don't know, maybe it would be good for you to see him again. It might help you…let go."

"Hold your tongue, Davis. I am never speaking to that man again for as long as I live." Casey gave her friend a hug, and Emily knew that the conversation about Derek was over. She figured that maybe seeing him would help Casey realize how much they had thrown away. But who was she kidding? Not only did Casey hate when Emily talked about them reconciling, she herself wasn't one to judge. Her breakup with Sheldon hadn't exactly been amicable.

"Well, I'm sorry I can't be there. Knock 'em dead!" Emily told her. She really wasn't all that sorry. It wasn't like she was dying to see Sheldon in action or anything. She watched his show, of course, but wouldn't admit that to Casey.

Casey smiled. "I will. And it's okay that you're not coming. You _are_ allowed to have other friends. You made this dinner date weeks ago. Have fun!"

Ever since her interview with Ryan Seacrest, Casey had been a lot calmer about public speaking. It didn't hurt that she had people falling at her feet wherever she went. Fame was quite the confidence-booster, despite its downsides.

Emily hurried off to meet her friend from Banner House, and Casey entered the building.

DwL=LwD

Sheldon introduced Casey as an old friend from high school, and Casey took a deep breath before stepping out onto the stage. She greeted Sheldon like they'd practiced, with a loose hug, to dispel any rumors the coffee shop hug started about them.

Casey and Emily had spent quite awhile on wardrobe. They decided on a skirt with a dangerously high slit up the side, and a top that revealed just enough cleavage. She didn't want to come off as trashy, but she had to keep in mind the statement she was trying to make.

Her head was swimming as she sat down in the armchair opposite Sheldon. He was one of those hosts that sat right next to the guest, and not behind a desk. Having him so close was oddly comforting.

"So, Casey, why don't you tell the three people who haven't bought your book a little bit about it?" Sheldon joked.

"Well, I wouldn't go _that_ far. I'm really just hoping that anyone who reads my book will feel empowered."

"And by anyone, you mean, of course, any woman?"

"Yes. I'm sick of the inequality, so I wanted to do something about it. I want women to stand up for themselves and decide to be happy and live life on their own terms."

"Ah, so it's sort of like, 'We're as mad as hell and we're not gonna take this anymore!'" Sheldon was doing a great job of pretending he had never heard any of this. Of course, Casey had explained everything to him over lunch, and he had even taken a copy of her book home. He had gotten a few chapters in, and was actually enjoying it. Casey's suggestions were well-written, if a little drastic. He got the feeling that she had been hurt pretty badly, and this was just her way of getting out all of her feelings. He would never believe that Casey McDonald was truly against monogamy. She was a romantic, just like him.

They chatted about the book for a few more minutes, and Casey was completely relaxed. This was easy. She had practically forgotten that there were cameras.

"So I have to confess, Casey, that I didn't make it all the way through the book yet." He turned to the camera when some members the studio audience gasped on cue. "Chills, people, I'm not even the target demographic for it." He turned back to Casey, who was stifling her giggle at Sheldon's use of 'chills'. "Anyway, there's a later chapter that I hear is a bit infamous—that chapter about the worst kind of guy. Can you elaborate on that?"

Casey's smile tightened. "That's Chapter 8."

Sheldon nodded. "It's called 'Ladies' Man, Man's Man, Man About Town,' right?"

"Uh, yes. It's basically about a guy I knew in high school. He was the most inconsiderate person I've ever met. He had a new girl every week. He used them and then just threw them away. The few times he had a real girlfriend, he ended up playing mind games until the relationship was completely ruined. Not to mention the fact that he was completely incapable of showing emotion. The only person he ever cared about was his little sister, and that was because he always got her to lie for him when he screwed up."

It was a testament to Sheldon's professionalism that he showed no sign of recognition…_this_ information was all new to him. Casey was sitting so close that she could see him gritting his teeth. She took it as a sign she'd better stop.

"I'm sorry, I got a little carried away."

"That's okay. This guy obviously hurt you pretty badly." Sheldon gave her a pointed look.

Casey blushed. She struggled to get back on topic. "I have to thank him, actually."

"Oh…really?" Sheldon asked softly.

"Sure." And then out came the words, before she could stop them. "He made me realize that I don't need to be in a relationship to be happy. He showed me that marriage and commitment are just myths. No one should bother getting married nowadays. It'll just end badly. Women need to become truly equal partners in relationships and society. He made me feel like a second-class citizen. I would have to say, without a doubt, that guys like him don't deserve to live among normal people. They bring nothing but pain and destruction." Casey literally bit her tongue to stop herself from continuing. She was in way over her head, not to mention starting to sound a little melodramatic. Thank goodness Sheldon recovered quickly.

"Well, we have to go to a commercial, but I want to thank Casey McDonald for being with us tonight. And be sure to pick up a copy of Down with Love!"

Casey and Sheldon shook hands, and then they were off the air. Casey stood up and ran into the wings, fighting back tears. She had just trashed Derek on national television. And half the things she said were exaggerations. No matter how she felt about Derek these days, he was _not_ a bad person. But she had used him as her scapegoat anyway. Her book was full of reasons why he was awful. _She_ was the bad person for doing that.

"Case?"

"Shel, I'm so stupid," Casey whimpered, and he enveloped her in a hug. She rested her head on his shoulder. She was surprised at how warm he was. Warm and strong.

"Shh, shh. It's okay," he said soothingly, and stroked her hair. "You're just passionate about your work. It's okay. Makes for better TV."

Casey smiled through her tears, which were subsiding. "And no one's going to know who I was talking about, right?"

"Right," Sheldon said confidently. He hesitated before adding, "I know you're hurting. Do you think it would help if we went and talked to him together?"

Casey pulled away from him. "What? No! I don't ever want to see him again!"

"It was just a suggestion…"

"Well you can forget it!" There was an awkward silence. Eventually, Casey softened. "I just can't, okay?"

"I guess I have to respect that," Sheldon sighed. He gave Casey another quick hug, and then headed back to the stage. The commercial break was almost over.

DwL=LwD

Derek flicked off the television and stared at the blank screen for five solid minutes. Then he rewound the footage and watched it again. And again. And again. No matter how many times he watched it, that beautiful face kept saying those ugly words.

"Is that really what you think of me, Case?" Derek asked the figure on the screen. He sighed. "Well then, I think it's time for the world to meet the real Casey McDonald."


	10. Derek Hatches a Plan

Disclaimer: I disclaim everything.

**Chapter 10: Derek Hatches a Plan**

_Memories, memories. Our heroes definitely have a history, that's for sure. Just remember that it takes two people to make a relationship work…_

"Wow, really?" Sheldon's eyes widened as Derek finished his story. Derek had arrived at Sheldon's apartment bright and early the morning after Casey's interview, looking like he hadn't slept a wink. He had started talking before Sheldon even got the door closed behind him.

"That's everything you need to know. I was scared to death that she'd realize how out of my league she was and leave me. So I let her walk right out of my life, and I was too proud to admit that maybe I had made a mistake."

"Wow, Derek."

"Stop saying 'wow!'" Derek huffed.

"I just…it's exactly how I feel about letting Emily go. I had no idea you went through the same thing. I mean, I kind of guessed that you two had something going on, but to hear you confirm it—"

"Say 'wow' again, and I'll fire you," Derek admonished when he saw Sheldon's lips begin to form a 'w.'

DwL=LwD

"Emily, I have to tell you the truth about what happened with Derek and me," Casey said, as soon as Emily picked up the phone.

"Okay…what do you mean?"

"I mean, I haven't been honest with you about our relationship, and I feel like I need to tell you what really happened."

Emily bit her lip nervously, but encouraged Casey to go ahead.

"Derek and I were together when we started university. Things were going pretty great for about a year. At least, I thought so. But we were about to find an apartment together, and the next thing I knew, he broke up with me. He said he wanted to see other people, and by the next weekend, I saw him around campus with other girls. I don't know if he had been cheating on me, or what, but he made it very clear that we were over. I have a feeling that I wasn't being the best girlfriend, really, but he totally blindsided me. We stopped talking completely after that." Casey took a deep breath. "I've never told anyone about that before."

Emily sighed. "I'm so sorry, Casey. I think I suspected that something like that happened, but to hear you confirm it…I'm so sorry."

"Thanks, Em. I mean, at least I can talk about it now, right? I'm still angry, but I'm trying to move on."

Something dawned on Emily. "Oh, Casey. The book was your way of moving on, wasn't it? I can't believe I didn't see it before, but it makes total sense!"

"Why pay for therapy when I could write about it and _make_ money?" Casey joked weakly. But she didn't fool Emily, and she wasn't fooling herself.

"Hon, you have to just let this go. It's in the past. The book is great; it really is. But you're still holding onto your anger, and that is _so_ not good."

"I know, I know. Look, you can't tell anyone that the book is…well, isn't real. Okay?"

"Casey, I'm not stupid." Emily sighed again. "Your secret's safe with me."

DwL=LwD

"There is no way that that girl is against marriage, and I'm going to expose her for the Phony McLiar she is," Derek fumed, holed up in his office with Sheldon that afternoon.

"And how exactly are you going to do that?" Sheldon asked. He'd be a liar himself if he denied feeling a little scared right about now. Both Derek and Casey were ruthless in their determination.

"Well, for starters, I'm going to need your help."

"Oh, boy," Sheldon grimaced.

"You and Casey are friends now, right?"

"Right…" Sheldon did not like where this was going.

"And she wouldn't think it was weird if you called her and asked her to go out on a date, right?"

"Uh, I guess. I mean, we've been 'out,' but I wouldn't call them dates." Sheldon raised his eyebrows. "And hey, wait a second! I'm not going to pretend to date her!"

"Shel, I'm impressed. You caught on quick." Derek smirked. "That is exactly what you're going to do. Get close enough to her to get her to admit that she's not as much of a radical feminist as she thinks she is. Get her to admit that she wants marriage and monogamy."

"I can't do that! It wouldn't be fair."

"Fair?!" Derek exploded. "You know what's not fair? Her smearing of my good name! She's spreading lies about me!"

"No one knows that it's _you_!" Sheldon bellowed back. "You're taking this too seriously. She's lashing out at you, trying to rile you up, and it's _working_!"

"You're damn right it's working! She has no business writing books about things she doesn't understand!"

"Derek, please stop yelling." Sheldon waited for him to calm down. "Okay. I will do what you ask. I'll keep seeing her, which is fine with me, because I like spending time with her. I'll find out if she really believes in her book, and I will tell you what she says. But not so you can discredit her publicly. I just think you won't rest until you learn the truth."

"But I need proof. You can record her on your cell phone if she starts talking about her book. But I won't do anything with the evidence unless she does something else to harm my good name. How about that?" Derek looked pretty pleased with himself for conceding that much.

Sheldon was feeling a little wary of this idea, but if it would get Derek to stop his ridiculous manhunt, he'd do it. After all, how much harm could it do? He'd find out that Casey wanted marriage; Derek would realize he had to get her back, and they'd live happily ever after.

"You have a deal, Derek. But _I_ will let you know what happens. I don't want you nagging me about this all the time."

Derek nodded. "Fine."

Sheldon took out his phone and dialed Casey's now-familiar number. "Hey Case, how about dinner tomorrow night?"


	11. Casey Dates Sheldon

Disclaimer: Not mine.

**Chapter 11: Casey Dates Sheldon **

She didn't think he should be allowed to be this adorable. Sheldon had been cracking her up all evening, smiling that goofy smile of his and being so attentive and sweet. She figured he felt guilty about her little meltdown on his show the night before, but that was unnecessary. She was going to listen to Emily and start letting go. It was time for her to enjoy her life, and really follow her book's instructions.

They were both vaguely aware of cameramen stationed outside the restaurant. Their table was in the back, and fairly secluded, but Casey knew that anyone could get a picture if they wanted to. She wasn't looking forward to facing the photographers as they exited. But she didn't have anything to hide. Old acquaintances couldn't go out to a friendly dinner?

Inevitably, the conversation turned to her success, and Sheldon asked her if she felt like she was following her own advice.

"It's like you read my mind, because I was just thinking about that," Casey told him, and his eyes widened.

"I must be psychic. Quick, give me your hand and I'll tell you how long you have to live," Sheldon teased.

"Seriously, Shel. Sometimes I feel like I'm not doing enough to embody the woman I'm trying to create. And other times I feel like I'm doing too much. I mean, I would never have worn this—" she pointed to her midriff-bearing top, "—in public a few weeks ago."

"I'm sure you're not getting any complaints, though," Sheldon said, unconsciously looking her up and down.

Casey blushed. "You just checked me out!"

It was Sheldon's turn to blush. "I did not!" He looked at her toned stomach again. "Okay, maybe I did," he grinned.

She slapped his arm playfully, and he grabbed her hand before she pulled away. "Case, you don't have to do everything your book says. It's more of a guide than a mandate, right?" He put his other hand to his pocket. "My phone's on vibrate. I think I got a text." He pulled it out and fiddled with it for a moment, then looked at her with something resembling guilt. "Derek," he explained, rolling his eyes.

Casey suddenly had the urge to pull her hand out of his gentle grasp. But she continued to hold it as she answered, taking comfort in his warmth. "I know I don't have to actually be this amazingly independent woman. But I'd like to be, you know? I'm trying to enjoy being single and live life to the fullest."

Sheldon nodded in understanding. "I get it. It would be nice to be completely content with yourself. I'd sure love to be." His eyes sparkled. "Hey, I should write a Down with Love book for men!"

Casey wrinkled her nose. "That defeats the whole purpose of mine!"

Sheldon shrugged, grinning widely. "But guys need to be able to be sexy, too!"

She stuck her tongue out at him. "Jerk." When the words left her mouth, she got a weird feeling in the pit of her stomach. How many times had she called Derek a jerk after bantering with him like this? Derek must have rubbed off on Sheldon. What a scary concept.

It didn't occur to either of them that they were still holding hands until the waiter brought their food and they had to separate. There was more blushing, and laughing, and Casey was faced with the crazy reality that she might actually be crushing on Sheldon Schlepper.

DwL=LwD

Casey went directly to Emily's apartment after her date with Sheldon. _Date? Since when was it a date? Oh, right, since I actually got _butterflies_ when Sheldon walked me to the door_, Casey thought. But he hadn't tried to kiss her. They had simply hugged briefly, and he told her he'd call her tomorrow.

She knew that if she was actually going to go out with him again, it was time to tell Emily about him. She owed her friend the truth.

It was a miracle that Emily hadn't seen any of the footage of them together from the last few days, but Casey had been careful not to mention any new "publicity" from the internet, and Emily had been pretty busy at work. She knew it had been a big gamble keeping something so important from her for this long.

"Hey Em, I need to talk to you," Casey said as soon as she sat down, and Emily's brows knitted at her serious tone.

"Okay…"

"You know how I saw Sheldon on Midnight Chatter last night?"

"Yes, he is the host of the show, so that would make sense," Emily said gently, urging a nervous-looking Casey to get a move on. "Spit it out, will you?"

"Well, that wasn't the first time I've seen him seen I've been in the city."

"What??" Emily's look of disbelief quickly turned to one of comprehension. "He's 'Shawn,' isn't he?" Her eyebrows were practically at her hairline. She frowned.

Casey cringed. "Yes."

After explaining how they met, how often they'd eaten together, and that she really felt like he was someone she could have fun with, Casey waited anxiously for Emily's reaction.

"I don't know what to say," Emily replied, looking a little dazed.

"I'm so, so sorry for lying to you," Casey quickly added. "I thought it was nothing, so I figured it wasn't even worth mentioning to you. I didn't want to bring up bad memories. But now that Sheldon and I are seeing a lot of each other…"

"Know what? I'm fine with it," Emily said dismissively, shocking Casey into silence. "Really, I am. We're all adults. We're different people than we were back then, and I have absolutely no claim to him now. I want both of you to be happy, and if you make each other happy, then I have no reason to stand in your way."

"Really? Oh, Em, you're amazing!" Casey gushed, giving her friend a hug. She had a feeling that Emily was maybe putting on a brave face, but she was nothing if not sincere. If Emily had a real problem with it, she would have said so.

Emily sighed, trying to keep her voice steady. "Just…unless it gets serious, I don't want to have to see him, okay?"

Casey nodded. "That's fine. It's not like I'll be with him all the time."

"Good." She paused, stifling a giggle. "You and _Schlepper_? _Really_?" She let out an actual laugh, and Casey couldn't help but join her, mostly out of relief.

DwL=LwD

Emily hit her alarm clock's off button with a grateful moan. She was never ready to get up when it went off, but this morning she was actually happy to leave sleep behind. She had had some unpleasant dreams about her ex-boyfriend and her best friend.

It took her a few moments to remember what they were, exactly. When it finally hit her, she felt the urge to call Casey and confirm that their last conversation had actually been real.

Casey was dating _Sheldon_. Casey was _dating_ Sheldon. She couldn't quite decide if she was as okay with it as she had convinced Casey she was. Even after a night to digest the news, it just didn't sit right with her. She wasn't as overwhelmed as she'd been the night before, but she was just uneasy enough to question why she felt the urge to tear Casey's hair out. But Casey was her friend. Shouldn't her happiness matter more than some lame grudge? Yes. It should.

Sure, Emily was over him. (Pretty much.) Sure, it had been almost a decade since they'd spoken. (But not a decade since she'd thought about him.)

Emily rubbed her eyes and sat up. It was too late now. She had given Casey her blessing, and _really_, how serious could it possibly get? Her intuition was telling her that Casey was just enjoying the attention; after all, it had been far too long since she'd been in a relationship, or even on a date. She couldn't blame her friend for craving the intimacy. But did it have to be with the love of _Emily's_ life?

Casey and Sheldon were all wrong for each other. Even though Sheldon had had a bit of crush on Casey when they'd first met in high school, he had quickly realized that she was way too high-maintenance for him to handle. Emily was much more laid back, and Sheldon had set his sights on her as soon as she was elected president of their class.

He had pursued her, and when she finally said yes, it still took her a couple of weeks to realize what she'd been missing. But then before she knew it, she was falling head over heels in love with him.

They lost touch for awhile when the Schleppers moved away, but Emily ended up going to the same university as Sheldon's brother Shawn. When she reintroduced herself, Shawn was more than happy to get her in contact with Sheldon. And they were together for six months before the distance between them became too difficult.

She should not have given up so easily. She just wasn't able take all the fighting they were doing. They ended up fighting every time they saw each other.

It really was too late, now. Their ship had sailed. She didn't want to see Sheldon as much as Casey didn't want to see Derek.

Emily hated to admit it, but she could probably use the catharsis of writing a book of her own.


	12. Derek Meets the GreenEyed Monster

Disclaimer: Not mine.

**Chapter 12: Derek Meets the Green-Eyed Monster**

Derek listened to what Sheldon had recorded the night before. "You make me sick," he groaned, while Sheldon just smirked at him.

"I did exactly as you asked. It's not my fault she was totally flirting with me," he said, enjoying Derek's discomfort a little too much.

"Don't ever say that again," Derek said sternly, but Sheldon just continued to grin.

"I'm sorry Derek, but it looks like we're actually a thing now." He was actually enjoying flirting with Casey. She was so much fun.

Derek was seconds away from giving that smug face a nice bruise. "If you know what's good for you, you won't go there," he growled.

Sheldon backed up a bit, sensing that the time for being cavalier was past. "I'm not. I mean it. I'm sorry. We're just friends. Really. I would never go after a girl you were in love with," he blustered, giving Derek time to cool down.

"I am not in love with her," Derek fumed, but the look of skepticism on Sheldon's face made him relax a bit. "I…maybe," he allowed quietly.

Sheldon quickly redirected the conversation. "So, you have the proof that she's trying to be independent. She didn't say anything about wanting marriage or monogamy. She said she wants to have fun."

Derek leaned back and folded his arms behind his head. "Schlep, this is only the beginning. I knew you weren't going to crack her after one night. Just go out again, loosen her up, and get her to trust you."

"So, you're saying it's okay to take her out again…as long as I don't _kiss_ her, is that it?" Sheldon smiled knowingly.

"I hate you. Go away," Derek commanded.

DwL=LwD

Sheldon loved Derek, he really did, but the man was driving him crazy. He had promised not to bug Sheldon about his progress with Casey, and yet every day, he was asking for more sound bytes.

Sheldon had the feeling that Derek just liked listening to Casey's voice, even though her friendly chattering wasn't even directed at him.

Sheldon and Casey had been going out for two weeks. They went to dinner, to shows, shopping, museums, everything. And everywhere they went, a trail of admirers and photographers followed. Sheldon had found it very amusing that he and Casey were plastered in the "Love Lives" section of Us Weekly, holding hands as they strolled through Central Park.

The media had concocted some story about how Sheldon and Casey had danced around their attraction in high school, and when she came on Midnight Chatter, sparks flew. No one could agree on how serious their relationship was. Was Casey just being a Down with Love girl and dating around? Or was Sheldon "The One"? There were various judgments on both sides. Sheldon cringed every time he read something about Casey's hypocrisy. But it seemed that the majority of the press took a more positive road. Despite that fact, Sheldon, and he figured Casey, too, couldn't help but feel uncomfortable with the scrutiny.

Casey and Sheldon had agreed beforehand to say nothing more than "hello" and "goodbye" to the paparazzi; let people make up stories, as long as they didn't get too intrusive.

Sheldon couldn't shake the horrible guilty feeling he got every time he saw Casey. But he was actually enjoying her company, and she hadn't pressed him about the fact that he had yet to kiss her, so he didn't feel much like he was doing anything wrong…

Except for the fact that what he was doing was very, very _wrong_.

DwL=LwD

Casey called that morning to ask if they could meet up for brunch. Sheldon took his time walking to her apartment; he enjoyed the nice weather, stopping to greet fans whenever they came up to him. It seemed that being in a "relationship" doubled his fame. The few girls he had dated since being in the city weren't celebrities, so this whole issue was completely new to him.

He paced at the entrance to her building for awhile, checking his watch. He still had about ten minutes before he had to be at her door. One thing that Casey appreciated about him was his unflagging punctuality. He couldn't help it. It was one of the many anal retentive traits they shared.

He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket, and his sister's ringtone came on. He really wasn't in the mood to talk to her, but what else was he going to do for ten minutes? He was about to answer, when he heard someone call his name.

"Shel?" the voice was Emily's. He froze, afraid to look up. "Sheldon!" He finally turned in the direction of the sound, and came face to face with the girl he'd let slip away. She was just as beautiful as ever. It occurred to him that he had barely thought about her during the time he had been "dating" Casey.

And something else occurred to him. For being so anxious over the prospect of seeing her again, he was extremely calm at the moment. In fact, his primary emotion was joy, evidenced by the huge smile that spread itself across his face.

"Emily Davis. Unbelievable," was what he managed to say, as she ran up to him and hugged him tightly.

She pulled back, suddenly shy. "I'm sorry. That was totally inappropriate. I just saw you, and…the first thing I wanted to do was hug you." She looked as taken aback as he felt.

"Don't apologize." He pulled her in for another hug while he gathered his thoughts. Unfortunately, that didn't help, because now all he could think about was how good her hair smelled.

When they finally let go, he stepped back and grabbed both her hands. "You look amazing," he told her.

"Thanks. You don't look so bad yourself." She knitted her eyebrows. "I was so sure I didn't want to see you, but now that I have…"

"I know. I was so excited when Derek was planning on meeting with you, because I thought I'd get the chance to see you. And then that fell through, and Casey never offered, so…"

"I told her I didn't want us to meet. Now that I'm standing here, though, I can't imagine why I said that."

Sheldon finally got to use the line he had practiced in the mirror what seemed like a million years ago. "What do you say we forget the past and start over?"

DwL=LwD

Derek had almost forgotten what jealousy felt like. He stared at the picture of Sheldon and Casey someone had posted on one of those celeb-spotting websites. He was kissing her on the cheek.

Derek hadn't said anything to Sheldon about cheek kissing. He supposed in Sheldon's eyes, everything but Casey's lips were fair game.

That brought about some unpleasant mental images. Derek pounded on his head with his fist, trying to keep the jealous rage at bay. He couldn't help it. He didn't like seeing his best friend's hands on his girl.

He knew he was being ridiculous. She wasn't his. She wouldn't want him. He was taken back to freshman year of university, when he felt so inadequate next to those brainy guys who would flirt with her. If only he had realized then that she had been completely in love with him, and that she wasn't going to leave him for another keener. I was so insecure back then, Derek thought.

"You're still insecure," he could imagine her responding. He could picture her perfectly, new "liberated" clothes and all. She would not approve of his behavior. All this moping around and being jealous of Sheldon "dating" her, when it had been Derek's idea in the first place. He just had to make her admit to wanting marriage. It was the only way he could convince himself that he hadn't destroyed her soul, and that she didn't want to be alone forever.


	13. Casey is Left Behind

Disclaimer: Nope.

**Chapter 13: Casey is Left Behind**

_While Derek was busy feeling sorry for himself, Casey was doing a little moping of her own… _

Casey was surprised that Sheldon wasn't at her door on time. She happened to look out her window, and saw two familiar figures laughing and talking near her building's entrance.

"Fine, forget all about me," Casey grumbled, as she left her apartment and headed towards the lobby.

She figured it was only a matter of time before Emily and Sheldon bumped into each other, so she had decided to speed things up a bit by inviting them both over at the same time. But she hadn't expected them to ignore her completely.

The way they were standing so close, and laughing, and Emily's hand kept brushing Sheldon's arm, she couldn't help but feel a little jealous. Just a little.

Okay, so this romance thing she had going with Sheldon was more about having fun than commitment. And the publicity didn't hurt, either. _But maybe I should just let nature take its course_, Casey mused.

She didn't have time to think about much else, because as soon as she stepped outside, Sheldon and Emily ran over to her.

"Hi, Case!" Emily said, grinning from ear to ear. "Look who I found! Isn't this great?"

Casey nodded. "Um, yes?"

Sheldon beamed. "It is. We were talking, and we decided to be friends again."

"I thought for the longest time that it would be too painful, but…" Emily gazed wistfully at Sheldon. "I guess I missed you."

"I missed you, too," Sheldon said.

"Well, now we can all be friends," Casey jumped in, trying to remind them that she was still there.

They both looked at her quickly, almost sheepishly, and Casey thought, _I knew it_. It's love at first sight. Or for the second time. Or third. Whatever.

They all went out for brunch, and it was surprisingly a lot of fun. Neither Casey nor Emily felt like the third wheel, though Casey was the one supposedly dating Sheldon. She had a feeling they were both making a conscious effort to include her.

Afterwards, they strolled down the street and window-shopped. Casey ended up getting mobbed by fans a few times, and Sheldon and Emily stood off to the side, grinning with the slightest hint of pity in their eyes.

"Why don't you two head home? You don't have to wait around for me," Casey called to them as she frantically signed autographs. Most people didn't have paper, so she ended up signing a lot of shirts and random items like water bottles.

Sheldon was about to respond that they would wait, when a woman began telling Casey quite energetically that she had been an inspiration, and continued to talk. Casey glanced at her friends and waved them to go on ahead, while trying to listen intently to her fan.

Sheldon pulled Emily from the outskirts of the crowd and they kept walking. "I feel like we shouldn't leave her, but she could be awhile," he said.

"I know, but I'm like her publicist. I should stay."

"We'll call her in a few minutes to make sure she's all right. I wanted to talk to you alone, actually, to tell you that—" Sheldon paused, because a fan had broken off from the group, clutching a handkerchief with Casey's name on it in black marker.

"Hey, you're Sheldon Schlepper, aren't you? I love your show. Could you?" She held out the handkerchief and Sheldon obliged. He had a marker with him, and Emily watched with amusement as he chatted her up, acting like the star he was. Sheldon had come a long way since high school, when he paid girls to be his personal cheerleaders.

A few others trickled out of Casey's group once they saw Sheldon, so the pair didn't get very far away, even after several minutes.

"You are so not the Sheldon I used to know," Emily remarked, and Sheldon actually blushed.

"I'm still me, Em," he assured her. "It's just that a lot of people know my name now."

"I guess. Still, I never would have thought you'd be…"

"I know exactly what you mean," he interrupted, smiling ruefully. "I'm the last person you would have expected to be treated with such respect, huh?"

"I didn't say that!" Emily cried, indignant. "I always knew you'd do great things. I just never thought it'd be this," she explained. "And I always respected you," she added.

"I know. Thanks." He patted her shoulder affectionately.

They continued walking away from the crowd, once they were sure his fans were gone. There was still a swarm around Casey.

By the time they got back to Emily's apartment, Sheldon had completely forgotten about Casey. Truth be told, so did Emily. They had been reminiscing about old times, and instead of getting a stabbing pain in her chest like she usually did when thinking about the past, Emily felt like she could burst with happiness.

"You want to come up?" she asked, before she could stop herself.

Sheldon picked at some lint on his shirt. "I…" _You're supposed to be with Casey, idiot_, he reprimanded himself. "Um, not today."

"Oh."

"Yeah. Sorry." He really, really was.

"No, it's fine. We should do this again sometime." Emily hugged him gently, and Sheldon heaved a sigh.

"We should."

"Hey Sheldon?"

"Mm?"

"What were you going to say back there? You said you wanted to tell me something."

Sheldon threw caution to the wind. He knew this was probably not the best idea, but in the last few seconds his head had gone all fuzzy. Hugging Emily apparently did that to him.

"I wanted to tell you this." He leaned down and kissed Emily softly. She was too surprised to respond right away, but once she finally did, both of them forgot the rest of the world for a minute.

"We, um, so, uh," Sheldon attempted, and promptly gave up.

"I need to go," Emily replied, not quite looking at him.

And before Sheldon could put together any more words, articulately or not, Emily had darted inside her building.

"Excuse me?" Sheldon turned as a woman held out a pen and a notebook. "I'm sorry to bother you, but could you sign? I'm addicted to Midnight Chatter."

Sheldon took the pen and smiled, trying to compose himself. "Sure. I'm glad you like the show. What's your name?"

"Annie."

Sheldon wrote a little note to Annie and handed her the notebook and pen. "Here you go."

"Thanks so much! I can't wait to tell my friends I met you!" Sheldon nodded graciously, but his smile disappeared the second Annie continued, "Hey, what happened to that author, Casey something? The woman you just kissed didn't look like her."

Sheldon just stared at her blankly, and Annie shrugged, turning to leave.

As she practically skipped down the block, her smile a little too smug, Sheldon glanced around nervously. No photographers seemed to be lurking around, so if he was lucky, no one but Annie had seen him kiss Emily.

He could only hope.

He figured that the right thing to do was to set the record straight with Casey before she had a chance to get hurt. But he didn't want to hurt her by telling her.

Sheldon had a big, big problem.


	14. Derek Stalks Casey

Disclaimer: I don't own it.

**Chapter 14: Derek Stalks Casey **

"Stop panicking!"

"I'm not panicking!"

"You are. Stop!" Derek grabbed Sheldon by the shoulders as he paced the office, quite obviously in panic mode. "I don't want to have to slap you!"

Sheldon put his hands over Derek's on his shoulders and patted them gently. "I'm better now. Really."

"Good." Derek dropped his arms, and slid into his desk chair. "So let me get this straight. I ask you to do this one thing, _one thing_, and you can't even have a successful _fake_ relationship?"

Sheldon looked as if he really had been slapped. Derek winced. "Look, that came out wrong."

"You're damn right it did. Goodbye." Sheldon spun on his heels and slammed Derek's door shut as he left.

Derek put his head in his hands and groaned. He was such a moron sometimes. It's all Casey's fault, he griped. _If she had never come here…_

DwL=LwD

Sheldon was not on his game that night. He just could not make the audience laugh. He was so lucky his guests were funny. They took the focus off of him, for a little while at least.

"Psst, Sheldon, what's up with you tonight?" the cameraman hissed during a commercial break.

"Sorry, Tony. My head's just not here. I'll do better," Sheldon replied, embarrassed. He hated when he allowed his personal life to interfere with his work.

Derek watched from the sidelines, arms crossed, rubbing his thumb across his bottom lip. Sheldon had really been careless today. They were extremely lucky that none of the websites he had checked said anything about the kiss; there wasn't even that big of a problem. Derek had made a mess of things for no reason. He owed it to Sheldon to do something. He had to get Sheldon happy again, and he had to get rid of Casey once and for all. Everything was her fault. Ever since he had seen her name on the side of that bus, both of their lives had been turned upside down.

He resolved to spend the rest of the night figuring out a plan. A plan that would, you know, _work_ this time.

DwL=LwD

Derek paced back and forth outside Casey's apartment building the next morning. What he was about to attempt was completely insane and probably illegal, but he couldn't think of any other ideas at the moment. He was so shaken by the whole Casey ordeal that he couldn't even come up with a proper revenge plot.

Sheldon would kill him if he knew what was going on, but they weren't speaking at the moment, so he was safe for awhile. His plan was to follow Casey around until she did something incriminating. Talked about marriage, wore sweatpants in public, anything.

He had to admit that this was also partially about getting a good look at her. He had seen her on Midnight Chatter, but that wasn't the same as seeing her in person. He was curious about what her adult life was like. Where she went, how she responded to fans, and if she was still the same old Casey underneath it all.

Derek checked his watch. It was eight o'clock. From what Sheldon had told him, she would be emerging any minute to get her morning coffee. He ducked around the corner so he'd have a clear view of the door, and checked for the umpteenth time that his video camera battery was charged.

He waited about five minutes, and there she was. His breath actually caught in his throat as he watched her. She looked stunning, in a dress that fell to right above her knees and revealed just the right amount of skin on her back and chest. After exchanging a greeting with the doorman, she headed off in the direction of the coffeehouse. Derek crept out from around the corner and followed her slowly, afraid to get too close.

She was only stopped twice by fans, and once by a guy who whistled. Derek was ready to throttle him, but Casey stopped to chat, and Derek's anger only increased as he watched her flirt up a storm. She only lingered a minute, though, and he was almost positive the guy didn't get her number. Meanwhile, he caught a glimpse of the paparazzo stationed across the street, and if Casey saw him as well, she didn't let on. Derek just barely restrained himself from going over and stomping on the guy's camera.

At the coffeehouse, Casey got her drink without a single interruption. Derek figured that she was there so often now that the novelty had worn off for the regular patrons.

Derek darted away from the window as Casey turned to leave, and almost ran into Emily.

"Derek?!"

"Em!" Derek grabbed her by the arm and dragged her into the building next door. As soon as they were far enough from the entrance, Emily tore away from Derek's grasp and smacked him soundly on the back of the head.

"Ow!" Derek rubbed the sore spot and glared at her. Her eyes were blazing.

"What the hell were you doing? Were you spying on her?"

"On whom could I possibly be spying?" Derek tried weakly, but Emily would have none of it.

"Don't play innocent with me," she barked, and Derek actually shrank back in fear. "I talked to Sheldon this morning. I know what you asked him to do. And now I catch you leering at her through the window? You're sick."

"Leering? Whoa, Em, you're overreacting. I was just…following her."

"Why?" Emily's eyes bored into his, and he did his best not to show any more weakness. Emily was scary when she was like this.

"I was hoping she'd slip up and act like the old Casey, okay?"

Emily laughed harshly. "You are _so_ lucky I'm the one who caught you. She would have put your head on a stick."

"That's what I'm hoping to do to her," he muttered.

Emily grabbed him roughly by the collar and, enunciating each word, hissed, "Stay. Away. From. Casey."

Derek wiggled free and thanked his lucky stars Emily hadn't grabbed his video camera. She must have been too angry to think of it. "I will…if you do one thing for me."

Emily eyed him warily. "And that would be?"

"Get Sheldon to break up with her." He paused for dramatic effect. "Or I tell Casey what you two did behind her back yesterday."

"No," Emily gasped.

Derek smirked, and gave her a rude little shove as he walked away. "Do it, or I leave her an anonymous note about her unfaithful boyfriend. I might even tip off the tabloids."

He left Emily standing in the lobby, at a loss for words. He was relieved to have the upper hand again. It did not sit well with him to be the submissive one in a battle of wits.

And he was so going to win this time.


	15. Casey Takes Matters into Her Own Hands

Disclaimer: Nein. Nicht mein.

**Chapter 15: Casey Takes Matters into Her Own Hands**

Casey grabbed onto her countertop for support, afraid her legs would give out. "What?!" A minute ago, she had been on the verge of tears, but now, she was fuming.

She had been making breakfast, minding her own business, when Sheldon called with some disturbing news.

"I know it's terrible, Casey, but it's the truth. He's officially off his rocker," Sheldon explained.

Casey smirked, momentarily distracted. "I love that you say stuff like 'off his rocker.'"

"Case, focus."

"Okay, so Derek's following me around with a camera. So what? It's no different than being mobbed by fans and paparazzi." She was making light of the situation. The truth was, it scared her and excited her at the same time. That he was _that_ desperate for her attention.

"He will kill me, and I mean literally kill me, and dump my entrails in the East River, if he knows I told you all this," Sheldon said nervously. He and Derek had gone almost three days without speaking, and Sheldon had no idea what was going through his mind. But he was one hundred percent positive that neither he nor Casey was supposed to know about Derek's harebrained scheming. Thank goodness Emily had filled him in. She had insisted he call Casey and tell her what was going on.

Casey sighed. "Sheldon, let me handle everything. I promise it will all work out."

"All right. I'm trusting you to do what you think is best," he replied.

"And Shel? Thanks," she said, and he had no idea how much she really meant it.

"Sure thing. I'm really sorry, Casey."

"Nothing to be sorry about. I'm the one who wrote the stupid book."

"But it's not your fault. You didn't do anything wrong."

"I guess. I'll talk to you soon."

They hung up, and Casey took a moment to compose herself before going back to her breakfast. She blinked several times, trying to keep the tears at bay. It had been _quite_ an informative morning.

DwL=LwD

Casey took a long time picking out her confrontation outfit. She settled on the most low-cut top she owned, and jeans that hugged her in all the right places, determined to remind him of what he'd been missing.

She couldn't believe she was really about to do this. But he had to be stopped. She couldn't risk him doing some exposé about her, and she couldn't let him hurt Sheldon, or Emily, or himself. As much as she felt she could go her whole life without ever hearing his name again, something was telling her that she had to face him. She'd regret it if she didn't, and strong, independent women should not have regrets (as per Chapter 4).

She had a little trouble getting past the doorman, who was actually a doorwoman, at his building. No matter how excited she was to see Casey, she couldn't just let her in to see the important Mr. Venturi. But Casey managed to convince her that they were collaborating on a piece together, and that he had instructed her to come right up. She hated lying to such a nice person, but she was on a mission.

Casey stood in front of his door and was overcome with the urge to run away. But it wasn't an option. She had to do this.

She pushed the doorbell with a shaky finger. Trying to keep her breathing even, she heard footsteps come closer and closer to the door.

Heart pounding, she listened as he unlocked the locks. It was taking him forever. He must have seen her through the peephole. It was a good sign that he was at least going to acknowledge her.

"Hello, Casey," he said, as he swung open the door. "Long time." He didn't quite meet her eyes, and Casey didn't blame him. She couldn't look at him, either.

"Hi, Derek. May I come in?" It felt so awkward to be using such a formal tone.

"Sure." He closed the door behind her and they both jumped as it shut with a bang. They were alone. In a room. Together. After ten years. He led her to the sofa, and they sat at opposite ends.

"I thought you might come."

"You did?" Casey was taken aback by that.

"When I saw Emily, I had a feeling she'd tell you, no matter what I said to her."

Casey fought the urge to smile. He was always thinking ahead. "Actually, Sheldon told me."

"He did?" Derek hadn't seen that coming.

"He misses you," she offered, and Derek looked away. Though it couldn't be called looking away, because they still hadn't allowed their eyes to meet.

"I'll set things right with him. We actually became friends, unbelievable as that seems."

"So I hear." She paused, but Derek didn't respond, so she went ahead and cut to the chase. "Sheldon told me everything."

"I didn't actually film you," Derek argued halfheartedly.

"No, Derek. I mean, he told me _everything_. I know that my relationship with Sheldon wasn't real."

Derek shifted in his seat, but Casey had to give him points for being so calm.

"Well, look at that. Schlepper finally grew a backbone," he said with a weak chuckle.

"You can't be angry with him for it. He hates that you're not talking, and he wanted to clear the air."

"I'm not angry," Derek said quietly. "When did he tell you?"

"This morning. I'd like to think I took it well. I mean, I don't really know what Shel and I were, but I know that we're friends now. I wasn't…in love with him."

"That's good. I'm glad you didn't get hurt in all this."

"Is that your way of apologizing?"

Derek smirked, but didn't say anything.

Casey ignored it. "I think I didn't let myself get too close because I know that he and Emily still care so much about each other. And also because…well, because I never got over you, Derek." She looked directly at his face for the first time, and was happy to see that he was as handsome as ever. The years had treated him well.

He lifted his eyes to look at her, and when their eyes finally did meet, they couldn't look away. His eyes still twinkled mischievously, though there was sadness behind them that hadn't been there before.

Derek finally answered her. "It was my fault."

"What was?"

"How things ended with us. I got scared."

Casey couldn't believe he admitted it. She hadn't allowed herself to hope for that.

It didn't feel as good to hear him say it as she thought it would, though. _Maybe because he wasn't completely to blame._ She had to set the record straight. "It wasn't just you. There were two people in that relationship."

Derek shook his head while still managing to keep his eyes on hers. "No. It was my fault. I was so insecure, and things were moving so fast, and I was sure you'd realize how much better you could do…"

"No, Derek." Casey hated herself for crying, but the tears were coming anyway. "I didn't pay enough attention to your feelings. I didn't tell you how _I_ was feeling, and even if you had told me how _you _felt, I probably wouldn't have listened. I know that you saw the way guys would flirt with me, and I didn't do much to discourage them. After having such a tough time in high school, I guess I just liked the attention. But you were the only one I ever needed. I should have reminded you of that more often, but instead I just watched you leave. I still hate myself for not fighting for us."

Derek rubbed his temples with his fingertips. "So you're saying that what happened between us was because of _both_ of us?"

"Yes. I've been so angry all these years, and blamed it on you, but I know that I was a part of the problem. I just couldn't face it."

Derek let out a long breath. "_That's_ why you wrote the book?"

Casey was impressed that he'd connected the dots so quickly. "Yes. You know I don't believe that marriage is dead. I'm a total romantic. I haven't changed that much."

"I can't believe this." Derek stood up and slammed his fist down on a nearby table. "I've spend these last few weeks just absolutely miserable for no reason. But I have to tell you, Casey, that what you said on Midnight Chatter really hurt me."

Casey stood up as well. "Oh, Derek, you have to know that I didn't mean any of it. I was just upset, and hurt, and a million other things, and I wasn't dealing with my emotions very well. I'm sorry the book ever got published."

"No you're not." He didn't say it meanly. It was just the truth.

"I _am _sorry that it caused so much trouble."

"You should be proud of yourself." He actually smiled at her. "And the only reason it caused all this trouble is because we let it."

They stood facing each other for a moment, until neither of them could stand it any longer. Derek took one long stride towards her and soon they were hugging so tightly they could barely breathe.

"I'm so stupid," Casey moaned against Derek's shoulder. "I wasted so much time. I should have tried to get you back the second you walked away."

"I wasted more time," Derek insisted. "I should never have walked away in the first place."


	16. Derek Comes to Terms with Fate

Disclaimer: Nope.

**Chapter 16: Derek Comes to Terms with Fate**

_So our lovebirds are back in each other's arms. This seems like it would be the perfect ending. Sadly, there is more hardship in store for these two…_

Derek really didn't think he deserved to be this happy. He and Casey had wrapped themselves up in a blanket on his couch and talked until their stomachs starting rumbling from lack of dinner.

They heated up just about everything Derek had in his fridge, which wasn't much, and headed back to the couch.

It wasn't possible to catch up on ten years in five hours, but they came pretty close.

Casey's head started to feel heavy and she leaned back into Derek. "I'm never moving from this spot," she declared, and he beamed.

"Good. Don't."

She sighed contently, afraid to ruin the moment. "Look, Derek, I just have to make sure…you're not going to tell anyone that I'm a fake, right?"

Derek actually laughed. "First of all, you're not a fake. Your book still makes some good points."

"You read it?" She asked in surprise.

"First of all, of course I read it. Casey, I was listening to Sheldon's recordings of you on a continuous loop just so I could hear your voice. Ever since I found out you were in the city, it was just all downhill from there." Before she could respond, he continued, "And secondly, I would never tell anyone. But people are going to figure out that you actually do want monogamy when you show up at a church in a white dress and change your name to Venturi."

"If that was you proposing, that was officially the worst proposal ever," Casey complained, only half kidding.

"Case, we talked about getting married before. Why shouldn't it come up again now?"

Casey shifted her position so that she was facing him again, and eyed him sternly. "Maybe because we're not the same as we were ten years ago. We've been back together for one day, if you can even call this back together. We have no idea if we can make it."

"Since when did you become such a pessimist?"

"Since when did you learn such a big word?"

Derek smiled. "See? I missed this kind of arguing. Let's go get married right now."

"You're off your rocker."

Derek's smile turned into laughter that shook the couch. "Sheldon was a _baaad_ influence on you."

Casey elbowed him in the chest and settled back down against him. "I'm not saying I wouldn't want to. But let's not rush into anything. You should just be happy I forgave you for what you did to Sheldon…and to me," she added as an afterthought.

"Believe me, as soon as I get to work tomorrow, I'll talk to him."

"Good. Oh, you should probably apologize to Emily, too."

"Right." He kissed the top of her head.

The doorbell rang, and Derek paled as he heard a familiar voice ring out, "Derry?"

Casey sat up in amazement. "Is that…Kendra?"

"No, no it's not. Let's ignore her." Derek tried to pull her back down.

"Der-ek, we have to get the door."

"Don't—"

But it was too late. Casey was already headed to the entranceway, and Derek followed reluctantly behind her.

Kendra flitted in as soon as Casey opened the door. "Hey, Der, I just figured I'd pop in and see if you were free for an hour or so…oh my God, Casey?!" Kendra hugged her, and both girls began exclaiming over how good it was to see the other.

Derek really just wanted Kendra to shut up and go away. She was bound to mention something Casey probably shouldn't hear…

"Case, are you and Derek," she made air quotes with her fingers, "_'friends,'_ too?"

…and there it was.

"I love your book," Kendra continued. "It's fantastic! It changed my life. I don't feel guilty about these little layovers anymore. I'm free to make my own choices about my love life."

Casey shot a "what the heck is she talking about look" at Derek, who winced. No matter how he tried to spin it, the damage was done.

Casey mulled over Kendra's words. "So you and Derek are…"

"Nothing, we're nothing," Derek cut in.

"Oh, please, Derry, we're so not _'nothing.'_" There were those obnoxious air quotes again.

"Kendra, you need to leave. Casey and I were talking."

"Yeah, _sure_ you were." Her eyes took in their rumpled clothes and Casey's disheveled hair.

"No, that's not…we were talking on the couch, that's all," he stressed, unsure why he was even bothering to explain himself. He had done nothing wrong. He and Kendra had very strict ground rules. If either of them were ever in a serious relationship, the other backed off. Now this rule was about to be put into practice.

Casey eyed them both curiously. "Do you two need to talk? I can go."

"Don't!" Derek practically yelled. He looked at Kendra. "Kendra, Casey and I were actually just talking about getting married. So this thing between us is over."

Casey gasped. "Derek, we're not engaged!"

Kendra looked back and forth between the two of them. "Someone better tell me what's going on!"

Derek crossed his arms. Casey sighed.

Kendra scowled and took a step backwards. "Okay, well, you two can figure out whatever it is you're figuring out. I'm going to see if anyone else is available while I wait for my next flight."

She turned as she was heading out the door. "Case, I really just have to say again how much your book meant to me, and to all the girls I work with. They have hope now, that even if they can't find a husband, they can be completely happy with their lives. Thank you for being such an inspiration."

Casey managed to stutter out a "You're welcome," and Kendra left.

Derek made a frustrated sound at the back of his throat. "Casey! You should have just gone along with what I said so she'd leave us alone. We have an agreement between us!"

Casey raised her eyebrows. "There's an agreement? What, that she comes looking for you whenever she flies in, and as long as you're available you two hook up? That's crazy."

"Well, no, that's actually, um, exactly what we've been doing for the past few years."

Casey's eyes widened, but she just nodded. "I see."

"Case, I was devastated after I lost you, you know. I haven't been able to bring myself to date anyone, so this kind of arrangement just worked out well for me."

"We can talk about this later. I need to understand why you would tell Kendra we were engaged when five minutes ago I specifically told you not to say anything about my, well, my hypocrisy."

"This is unbelievable! We can't be together because you're afraid of what your readers will think?!"

Casey wished it didn't have to be that way. But she was trapped. "That's unfortunately what I mean. Did you hear what Kendra said to me? I can't just go back on everything I said and get married. People expect me to be a certain way, and I can't exactly explain that the writer of Down with Love is happily married. To her stepbrother, no less!"

Derek was quiet for a moment. He didn't think he could handle it if their relationship was going to go nowhere. He wanted to show the world that she was his, not date in secret, or worse, treat what they had as just a fling. "Tell me what's going to happen, then, Casey. Because I want all of you, or none of you." It killed him to say the words.

Casey's lower lip quivered, but she stayed calm. "I can't let my fans down. I just stopped seeing Sheldon. I can't get serious like you want. Right now, I guess it's going to have to be none of me," she said sadly.

DwL=LwD

Derek hung up the phone, and rubbed his eyes. He had just had a very long conversation in which Emily called him an idiot several times, but they had made up. Now he had to go to the studio and face Sheldon.

He raced to Sheldon's office before he chickened out. Luckily, Sheldon was there, going over the notes for that night's show.

"Hey, Shel," Derek said, pausing in the doorway. "Can we talk?"

Sheldon motioned for him to come in. "Yes?"

Derek shuffled his feet, trying to delay the awkwardness. But the longer Sheldon stared glumly at him, the worse it got. So he decided to just get it over with.

"I'm really sorry. You've been nothing but a good friend to me, and I took advantage of that. I was rude and unreasonable, and I'm sorry." Derek let out a long breath. He hated doing this so, so much.

Sheldon shrugged. "Eh, whatever."

Derek stared at him in horror. He had just poured his heart out, and all Sheldon could do was shrug?!

Sheldon smiled when he saw how much Derek was fidgeting. "Of _course_ I forgive you! _You_ may be a lunatic, but no one else would put up with _me_."

Derek smiled back. "Thanks. We good?"

Sheldon was still grinning, too. "We're good. Now _please_, tell me what happened with Casey! I haven't talked to her since yesterday when she said she was going to see you, and I'm _dying_ here!"

Derek hung his head. "I don't think I want to relive it."

Sheldon's smile immediately fell. "Uh-oh."


	17. Casey Gets Her Story Straight

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

**Chapter 17: Casey Gets Her Story Straight**

"Casey, this is so, so stupid," Emily said for what felt like the hundredth time. "Just _be_ with Derek."

"I can't!" Casey wailed, and she dove back under the covers, crying so hard she was hiccupping.

Emily patted the comforter where she figured Casey's head was. "I understand why, I really do. But you're telling me you're willing to be miserable for the rest of your life rather than disappoint a _few_ fans who _might_ be upset?"

"Well, when you put it that way…" Casey whimpered, peeking out from under the blankets again.

Emily sighed. "Case, you know I'll stand by your decision. But I really think that throwing away everything you and Derek have—" she bit her lip, "—could possibly have, I mean, needs a bit more consideration."

"I agree," Sheldon said as he brought a tray in from the kitchen.

"What is that?" Casey asked in a tiny voice, finally bringing her head out into the light. "Breakfast?"

She took one look at the tray and burst into tears again.

"What's wrong? You love chocolate chip pancakes!" Sheldon looked at Emily in horror as Casey rocked back and forth, head in her hands. Emily quickly removed the tray and glared at her boyfriend.

"That's _Derek's_ comfort food, genius!" she scolded, and Sheldon's eyes widened.

"Oops. Sorry, Case."

DwL=LwD

Emily recognized the determined glint in her eye the moment Casey entered the Banner House office that afternoon. Emily and Sheldon had reluctantly left Casey to wallow alone; they both had jobs, after all.

But this Casey was a far cry from the girl who wouldn't come out from under the covers that morning.

"I have a plan," she announced as soon as she had Emily's undivided attention.

Emily raised her eyebrows and nodded. Casey barely registered her reaction.

"I'm going on Midnight Chatter again. I just got off the phone with Shel, and he said he can squeeze me in tonight if he skips his opening monologue. I'm going to come clean."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"It's like you said this morning. I should just be with Derek. The only thing that's stopping me is the fact that I feel like I'm living a lie. Get rid of the lie, get Derek. It's as simple as that."

Emily sighed. "Okay. Just…talk to Derek before you do this, okay?"

Casey blinked in surprise. "Why?"

"Well, make sure that you two are definitely going to work things out. It's no use exposing the truth if Derek's not on board."

Casey thought for a moment. "You're right." She became businesslike again. "I'm off to think about what I need to say. See you."

Before Emily could say anything else, Casey was gone. She really hoped that it was still soon enough that Derek would take her back. He did not do rejection well.

LwD=DwL

Casey paced the green room for about a half hour, waiting for Derek. He hadn't been in his office when she entered the studio, and she left a message with his secretary asking for him to come find her there.

Finally, less than five minutes before the show was supposed to start, Derek entered the room.

"Casey, what is going on? Everyone's running around trying to adjust because apparently you're coming on the show tonight?" He looked flustered, and she immediately regretted not finding him earlier. He was obviously concentrating on work right now.

"Um, yes. But first I have to tell you what I'm going to do."

Derek checked his watch. "Make it quick." Oh, boy. He didn't sound like he wanted to be talking to her. And she didn't blame him, after how they had parted a few days ago.

"I want to be with you. So I'm going out there and telling everyone that my book was written out of anger, and that I'm actually very interested in marriage."

His eyes bored into hers, and she knew he was trying to figure out if she meant it. "You're serious."

"Yes."

His eyes lit up. "I can't believe it." But it was obvious that he could.

"I just wanted to make sure you'd still have me if I did this. I'm so sorry for what happened the other day."

Derek practically lunged at her. "Of course." He hugged her tightly and then spun her around. She couldn't help but giggle. He checked his watch again. "But I have to go right now." He gave her a quick kiss that just made it to the corner of her mouth before darting out the door.

Casey flopped into a nearby chair, relieved beyond words.

Before she knew it the assistant director was knocking on the door, signaling that they were ready for her big announcement.


	18. Derek Starts Over

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

**Chapter 18: Derek Starts Over**

Sheldon stepped into view of the camera and explained that instead of his usual opening, he needed to bring out a special guest. The crowd went wild when they saw Casey, and Derek felt a surge of gratitude that she was going to do this for him. He knew that her life was going to change once again after tonight, and he vowed to make sure the transition went as smoothly as possible.

She was dressed conservatively, in jeans, a white blouse, and pink sweater. Sucking in a shaky breath and letting it out slowly, she make eye contact with the camera.

"I know that many of you have been interested in my relationship with Sheldon. Let me go on record as saying that Sheldon and I are friends; nothing more. We always have been. I also realize that many of you have expressed concern that I was turning my back on the book by going out with him, that I was actually succumbing to the temptation of monogamy."

Casey hadn't said anything to anyone about those gossipers; she was too embarrassed. But from Sheldon's expression at the moment, she knew he had seen them, too. They had never really talked about what others were saying about them. She took another deep breath and tried to concentrate on the words she had practiced. She couldn't afford to go off on a rant today.

"But I can't deny it any longer. It's the truth. I am a complete and total romantic. I've always had fantasies of a Prince Charming sweeping me off my feet. And guess what? I've found my prince. My hope for you, my wonderful fans, is that you find yours as well. And even if you don't, please know that I wish you nothing but happiness. I never meant for Down with Love to become such a treatise against men. Here's something you all need to know. My prince, the man who's swept me off my feet, is none other than the person I describe in Chapter 8."

She could see the looks of surprise on the faces of the audience members, but they were all continuing to sit in silence. So she pressed on. "That's right. I fell in love with the worst kind of guy. Except he was never as bad as I described. In fact, he's one of the most caring people I've ever known." _When he wants to be_, she added in her head as she stole a glance at Derek in the wings. He was smirking at her, obviously enjoying the attention and praise. She couldn't resist doing a little more ego-boosting. After all, she had to let him know that he _did_ deserve her, and without a doubt, _he_ was the only one she'd ever wanted.

"I may not have told him this enough, but I want you all to hear it now. He is the best thing that's ever happened to me. We are soul mates through and through. He's the only one I've ever wanted to be with, and the only person I want to be with for the rest of my life. I want you all to know that yes, I, Casey McDonald, have fallen in love. I want to get married. I want a family. I want all the things that I told you were detrimental to your life. I hope that I haven't disappointed everyone. I believe in what I wrote, in that I feel women should be equal partners, and that we should all be allowed to conduct ourselves as we wish without fear of criticism. But don't think for one second that I look down upon the institution of marriage. My mother and stepfather have shown me what a wonderful partnership marriage can be. I see how happy they are, and I want that for myself. Down with Love isn't against love, but it _is_ against discrimination. So please take my book seriously in that respect. But, and this is very important, rip out Chapter 8. Go ahead, do it. It was my way of coping with something that happened a long time ago. It wasn't right, and it wasn't fair. I wrote it out of anger."

Casey paused to collect herself, because she could feel her cheeks warming from the emotion. She couldn't afford to get all red and blotchy on national television. Sheldon was smiling proudly at her from just off-camera, and she noticed Emily leaning against him, also looking very happy.

"So if you want to whistle at hot guys and wear short shorts in the summer, go ahead and do it. I challenge each and every one of you to start living your life on your terms, regardless of what society tells you. But don't listen to me when it comes to love. I've made plenty of mistakes, and somehow I wound up getting lucky." There were a few giggles at the innuendo, and Casey smiled as well, relieved to be almost finished. "I want to thank all of my readers from the bottom of my heart. I'm very grateful to you for buying my book, and I have met so many wonderful people because of it. I don't regret writing it, but I'm very sorry that I pretended to be someone I wasn't. The next time I write a book, it's going to be one hundred percent true. You have my word on that. And that's what I wanted to say."

She turned to Sheldon, who was still off-camera. "Thank you to Sheldon Schlepper for allowing me to address everyone tonight. I'm going to turn the spotlight over to him now." She nodded to the camera and then stepped out of frame.

Tony panned over to Sheldon before he and Emily could break their hug. Emily smiled sheepishly and waved to the camera before darting towards the wings. Sheldon shrugged and gave the audience a wide grin. "That's right folks, it's now back to your regularly scheduled programming. I might not be as interesting as Casey, but bear with me. We have some great guests tonight…"

DwL=LwD

As Casey and Sheldon had discussed, Sheldon didn't mention her speech at all for the rest of the show. And if any reporters tried to talk to him he would reply with "No comment." Casey had said all that needed to be said, and Sheldon didn't feel that his commentary was necessary.

Casey, Derek, Emily, and Sheldon met for lunch the next day, laptop sandwiched between them in the tiny café booth. The bloggers had not been kind. They drew comparisons to James Frey and Stephen Glass. They talked about how Casey may have actually subverted the entire women's movement. They whined about how feminists needed to just leave well enough alone.

However, the respectable news sources said how brave it was for Casey to come forward. Good Morning America did a piece on self-help books and praised Down with Love highly. Regis and Kelly speculated about who Casey's mystery guy could be. Tyra Banks had Dr. Drew analyze Casey's speech, and he concluded that she had indeed written from a place of anger, but that it seemed all her demons had been exorcised. The newspapers said more of the same. Even Ryan Seacrest weighed in, saying how great a person Casey was.

Derek looked around at his old friends, amazed at what had transpired to get them to that moment. In fact, they hadn't been in the same room together like that since Grade 11. Back then, Emily was still fangirling Derek, Sheldon and Derek only talked when it involved D-Rock performances, and Casey and Derek were still pushing each other's buttons just because. He couldn't believe how comfortable he felt, sitting around with his best friend, his best friend's girlfriend, and his soul mate.

He got a kick out of Casey calling them that on national television. As soon as the show had ended, he'd whisked her back to his apartment, where they'd spent the whole night talking, mostly about the future. Casey convinced him that they needed to take things slowly. He knew she was right.

He was content just to be able to put his arms around her again. Marriage could wait.


	19. Casey and Derek Live Happily Ever After

This is it: the end of the road. Thank you so much for following this story, and I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!

--Brandi

Disclaimer: Nineteen chapters and still not mine.

**Chapter 19: Casey and Derek Live Happily Ever After**

"That was my dad," Casey explained when she hung up the phone. "He saw my appearance last night and wants me to come to dinner and bring this guy I'm talking about," she giggled.

Derek smiled and pulled her even closer to him. They were strolling down the street after lunch, just taking in the sights. "He's going to be happy to see me again," he said confidently. "It's been too long. I always liked Dennis."

"I think he will be. But I don't think he's read my book. So you might be a bit of a surprise."

"Surprises are great." He kissed her forehead, and as he did he was aware of a camera flash going off not too far from where they were standing. "Well, _certain_ surprises," he amended.

Casey pushed his face back towards hers as he turned to find the intruder. "I don't even bother looking anymore. The less you say, the better."

Derek shrugged. "Okay."

Casey smirked. "Derek Venturi, taking orders from me. What is the world coming to?"

Derek frowned. "In all seriousness, Case, I'm going to be better about sharing you with other people," he promised.

"I know you will. And I'm going to be more conscious of your feelings."

"Just tell me you love me at least ten times a day and we'll be even."

Casey smirked. "I love you I love you I love you I love you—"

Derek cut her off with his lips and he heard reporters starting to shout questions, trying to get confirmation that _this_ was the guy she'd been talking about. _They can't possibly be that stupid_, he thought.

"Don't worry about them," Casey whispered against his lips. He nodded his head and continued kissing her.

Eventually, the reporters realized they weren't going to get their story and backed up…a little.

Casey pushed Derek away gently and smiled at him. "You know, I'd better get started on my second book right away. Because once they realize who you are, they're going to figure out you're my stepbrother."

"_Second_ book?" He blinked in surprise.

She blushed. "Well, yes. All this talk of memoirs got me thinking about writing my autobiography. You know, joining a blended family, falling for my stepbrother, losing him for ten years, becoming famous…" Casey trailed off, waiting for Derek to express his opinion. He looked like he was thinking pretty hard.

"Are you sure that's a good idea? I'd be in a lot of it, and writing about me tends to get you into trouble."

She smacked his arm when she realized he was kidding about the last part. "You're horrible. I promise this would only be good things."

Derek thought for a moment. "I think that would be great, actually. I'd rather you told our story than some reporter."

"I feel the same way. Good. I'll talk to Emily about it tomorrow."

"Speaking of Emily, we should go out with her and Shel tonight after the show."

Casey wrinkled her nose. "Don't you get done work pretty late?"

"You have a curfew or something?"

Casey giggled. "You're right. I'm going to follow the instructions in Chapter 5 and learn to love the nightlife."

Derek just shook his head and groaned, but he was smiling.

"I was thinking about going back to London next week. Want to come?" Casey was excited to see her family after everything that had happened.

"Sure."

"Good. I know they'll want to hear the whole story of what happened. Mom and George called me all excited because they knew I was talking about you on the show."

"Glad to hear they approve. I think they were as upset over us not talking as we were."

"I know. I'll also have to get everyone's permission if I'm going to write about our family." Casey paused as if she just remembered something. "And, I was thinking," Casey's eyes twinkled and Derek looked at her warily. "That we could maybe check out some halls and restaurants and stuff while we're there."

"What for?" he asked casually, already knowing her answer.

"Oh, you know, for our wedding," she replied just as casually.

"If that was you proposing, that was the worst proposal I've ever heard." Derek shoved her playfully.

Casey rolled her eyes. "That's _your_ job. I am a liberated woman, but I still expect the guy to pop the question."

Derek opened his mouth and Casey put a finger to it to shush him. "Not that I want you to ask me today. We're taking it slow, remember?"

"Yeah, yeah." Derek kissed her again and they exchanged a smile. More flashes went off, but neither of them noticed.

_We have come to the end of our tale. Girl writes book about boy, girl gets famous, boy sends best friend to sabotage girl, boy gets jealous, girl finds out, boy and girl reconcile. Just your typical, average love story! _

_Guess there's only one thing left to say…_

_They all (Casey and Derek and Sheldon and Emily) lived happily ever after. _


End file.
